Stealth Overdrive
by Electro DGX
Summary: Kyousuke Watanabe, an "isolated talent", became a victim to his own personal isolation; mainly due to Fairy Tail's appearance at his high school and his lack of a so-called "relatable partner". When coming upon an invitation to a drafting for a group named "Stealth Overdrive", Kyousuke immediately entered in the hopes of finding an answer. There, he finds more than an answer.
1. Chapter 1: Broken Conviction

**A/N: The idea for this story came to me in a dream. Its impact on me was profound, and the idea was simply excellent. I had no choice but to put it into reality, and therefore, this was created. If you read this story, you will also read something that was a part of my dream, and a part of my inner being.**

 **Enjoy, for my sake :)**

Chapter 1: Broken Conviction

Mega Dawn High School. Not much inspiration behind the name, except that it was supposed to "sound cool". To those that may think it's a bit corny, it's actually a pretty nice school in all honesty. It was a regular sized school, but most of its space was preoccupied by rooms unrelated to literary education; such as a swimming room, advanced technologies room, magic expertise room, psychical combat room...you get the point. Basically, it was a school focused on the idea of extensive education for those preparing to do something with their lives. No one could get this opportunity by dozing through all the classes while getting straight As. The passion was needed; the thrill and motivation to excel in a preferred field. They had to be dedicated and confident, ready to revolutionize the world. Of course, not many people were set on revolutionizing the world, but they did have the passion. There were some literary classes held in order to keep the basic fundamentals in the educational field refreshed, but there were only three of them: English, History, and Math. The specified period one took for these basic classes determined the level of such class, such as Foundations in last period to Calculus BC in first period. This was helpful to those who needed the mental stimulation that a class like Calculus BC offered. Surprisingly, there was no Science class, but that was because there were science related topics in the school already. They were much more innovative than a basic science class could possibly be.

There were eight periods a day, two of those periods being off hours. One of those periods was lunch, and another was just an off hour people could use for whatever preference. One could choose to study for an extremely important test or just sleep it off because they went to bed at Five AM. Like said before, the school's name is Mega, so there were most definitely "Mega Delicious Lunches". Well, at least they were exquisite. It was perhaps the only school where one was not disgusted with the choices of food, driving them off campus so they could head to some sort of fast-food place. An extensive amount of selections allowed anyone to select what they wanted, how they wanted it, and what they wanted with it. It was more than satisfying; it was absolutely fantastic! One did have to watch what they got though, for they could find themselves paying $30.00 for a Deluxe Sirloin with a side of Brown Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes and a Caramel Cheesecake to top it off. It did get quite expensive, but somehow there were people who managed to afford it all. Not that it mattered particularly.

There was one student in particular that went to this school, and his name was Kyousuke Watanabe. He had short, blonde hair that spiked in the front, supported with electric blue eyes. He wore a blue jacket, along with cargo jeans and black shoes. As surprising as one would think, he was _not happy_. Not because of a dissatisfaction with the school's offerings, but because of something else. This _something else_ was a result of a strange space-time conflict that resulted in a population transfer. Okay, population may be a bit over-exaggerated, so "group" would be a better word. This group in particular was a guild called Fairy Tail, from a planet named Earthland and a town named Magnolia. They found themselves thrown into this world without prior warning and any sort of solution out. Because of the dilemma they managed to get caught in, they suddenly became a part of the school. Try as they did to find a way back to their homeland, they only realized that they could be stuck in this world for as short as three years to as long as the rest of their lives. No one had the technology to develop a portal that could travel through space and time, and no one in the guild wanted it to be disbanded. They came very close to doing so, but luckily the school suggested they become involved in their program.

This was where the magic began to happen. Part of the integration process with the school was to find a "partner". Strange as it was, they did, and they did it quite easily. It was all based on instinct; whoever the Fairy Tail wizard wanted to be with was who they would be with. It was as simple as that, and that's why they were dubbed "relatable partners". Surprisingly enough, the instinct that induced them to choose these partners turned out to be more than that. Every partner that they found soon became their closest friend. A friend one could have fun with, a friend one could talk to, a friend one could rely on, a friend one could go to for help, that kind of a friend.

Here's the issue, Kyousuke never got a partner. That's why he wasn't happy; he never got any of those things, and it made him all the more isolated. One could say that his somewhat tough exterior contributed to it somewhat, but it was mostly due to this partner's absence in his life. It initially was some sort of curiosity, as in, "Oh, who's my partner going to be?" But it escalated from that very quickly.

* * *

Eight months later, Kyousuke came to realize that the curiosity morphed into a blade that stabbed him in the heart. One of the things that contributed to it was how people would at first attempt to make fun of him for it, saying that no one could possibly like someone like him and other various insults. That didn't last long though, for Kyousuke beat the hell out of them within seconds. He was assigned detention for doing so, yet he never showed up for it because he could care less. However, that reaction and the amount of hatred he would spew towards others somehow proved their point, for people then just avoided him like the plague. No one wanted to be around someone who felt like a threat, or someone who was deemed to be "wrong". The tables were turned against him and he was quickly marked as an iconoclast, for something out of his control. Others had mistaken him by thinking he enjoyed being alone, which was perhaps true, to avoid all the idiots that couldn't possibly understand. People would try to engage him in fights over something that could be deemed so frivolous, and Kyousuke had to fight for his life. Gangs would try to assassinate him, people would try to publicly humiliate him, officials would try to brainwash him, etc. While he survived and escaped every obstacle that was thrown at him, it wasn't like he came out unscathed. It was a scar that filled him with hatred; the kind that drove one to kill. He would in revenge murder those that dared to ruin his life even more, those that thought of him as low-life trash as he did them, those who were just worthless sheep following everyone else's game. This helped mellow down the amount of threats he received, but the pain still existed.

It eventually came to the point where he began to force himself to accept this life of pain and suffering, isolated, to never be with a soul-mate or significant other or whatever you wanted to call it…ever again. This notion drove him to tears the night before, something that could be considered rare for someone like him. But on the present day, it just coursed within his mind, being forcefully burned into his brain like a permanent stamp.

" _No one gives a shit, just accept it for once."_ He told himself with vitriol. It filled him with hatred and darkness; resentment towards everyone that only made it worse. Yet he continued to carry it, even while heading to his English class. Walking to the class, he observed the area he was in. Grey lockers stood on top of grey floor-tiles that were surrounded by black ones acting as a border. The walls were painted a clean white, and they were either blank or covered with visuals; those including either posters, invitations, team logos, or just simply the school logo. The school logo was MEGA DAWN High School, with MEGA DAWN being printed in this bold, 3D font that gave it that grand, colossal appearance that dominated the scene. The colors used consisted of blue with shades of grey and black here and there. Those were the school's theme colors. It was surprisingly clean for a school, especially since there were those teenagers who were too stupid to pick up after themselves, at least in Kyousuke's perspective. He happened to walk past some people who were talking about various things. Kyousuke listened in on their conversation, only to toss what he heard for he found it to be useless.

Eventually, he arrived at the English class he was taking. The class itself was a requirement, so he took the first level English class in his age group. He didn't care much for the class to begin with. Walking into the class, the first thing he noticed were these two rowdy individuals that were always causing trouble.

One of them was Dayton Surogaki; someone with a knack of getting into trouble for the misuse of magic. He had brown hair that was spiked and he had vermillion eyes, along with a vermillion outfit to match. It was more of a suit, much like his partner's but with both sides being long-sleeves. He also wore white pants and brown shoes. Being a Lava Dragon Slayer, his partner was of course Natsu Dragneel, the Fire Dragon Slayer. They both were quite rowdy, shouting and throwing their arms in the air and everything, and this only annoyed Kyousuke. To him, they were complete morons. Only an idiot like Natsu would be stupid enough to use his exceed, Happy, as a way of getting him notes during a test. The exceed blatantly flew across the room, giving the answers to Natsu as he used them to cheat the test. The teacher caught noticed this and didn't intervene during the test session, deciding to give him a zero on the test and two hours of detention instead. Unlike Kyousuke, who would've probably flung into a hateful rage if he was being demanded and ordered around, Natsu went to the detention.

This was on Erza's behalf; making sure that he explicitly followed each and every rule in the school, which didn't happen most of the time. Her partner was Roxanne Laurel. This girl was covered in green, which included the eyes and hair. Her hair was in two braids with black & white tips on the ends. Roxanne's outfit consisted of a green sweatshirt with grey pants, along with white shoes. She was an interesting case because she's always admired Kyousuke, even in the midst of negativity he received from others. Unlike the others, she was quite empathetic, having felt bad for Kyousuke's lack of a partner. To her, a partner was considered to be a best friend for life, so it made her feel sad to see him go around without one. However, she was afraid of approaching him about it, for she didn't want Kyousuke hate her, more so have a reason to. She felt that he was more prone to dislike someone than like them, so she was wary of him, yet also concerned. Therefore, Kyousuke had no idea, and if he was ever to unleash his anger on her, he probably would feel no guilt in doing so. Often she would sometimes spy on him and observe him when Erza wasn't around, due to these inbuilt feelings she held for him. This would make one think that she was supposedly a shy individual, but she was far from it.

Dayton, on the other-hand, was not willing to cooperate with him. In fact, the two held a strong prejudice for each other. To start off, Dayton would quickly engage into arguments with Kyousuke when he caught him telling someone off (which happened to be quite forceful). They were both hot-headed and stubborn, so they would be at odds with one-another constantly. This would range from simple arguments to fights that spun across the whole school. Kyousuke, though, never lost a fight. It was either with him winning, or with the fight ending in a draw. This was because Kyousuke couldn't bear the thought of losing to someone like Dayton, so he would force himself to finish off every single fight he had been engaged in. There were times were he had been brutally defeated by others though, beaten to the bitter core as they left him for dead; blood on the ground and his face, broken bones, knocked-out cold. But he came back with a vengeance, an excruciatingly painful vengeance. As for Dayton, the two held a grudge against each other. Not one was willing to give up, and at one point, they may fight to the death for it.

To continue on, the class body consisted of Natsu, Erza, Gray, Lucy, Levy, Laxus, and their respective partners, along with Kyousuke. If anything, Laxus was the only one Kyousuke could relate to; both hating the class they were in. In fact, Laxus would sometimes not even come or he would just leave, simply because the class was stupid. Anyways, Kyousuke walked in and sat down at one of the available seats, which happened to be next to the disruptive Natsu and Dayton. Not that the seat mattered; anywhere in the classroom he could be and they still would've been irritating in some shape or form. At least being next to them made it easier for him to get his point across. The teacher for the class eventually came in, bringing her stuff and setting it down on the desk. Luckily, the English classes were somewhat more innovative and entertaining, even though Laxus still thought it was stupid. The teacher, after getting prepared, walked to the front of the classroom and began to give instructions. She wore all these glamourous, unusual outfits in an attempt to make herself look "beautiful" which clearly wasn't the result. The teacher also had a stuck-up attitude, as if she held some sort of superiority because of her status as a teacher.

"Hello! Welcome to English! Today we'll…" She said, slowly coming to a stop. Natsu and Dayton had suddenly burst into laughter before her, leaving her feeling interrupted. "Today we'll…" She said again, feeling disrespected in a way as the two continued to laugh. Eventually, she just stood there and waited, stressing out everyone else in the class. Luckily, Roxanne took her shoe and angrily chucked it at Dayton, hitting him in the head with perfect precision and catching both of their attentions.

"Will you two shut the hell up?! She's trying to talk!" She shouted angrily, getting them back on track. They fearfully turned to the teacher in the hopes of not being punished by Erza too, who was also quite relentless. The teacher gave Roxanne a look of relief.

"Thank you Roxanne." She said pleased, continuing on with the lesson. "Okay, so today's activity will involve you and your partner. You will have to create five different poems based on your partner's traits and characteristics." She explained. Kyousuke looked at her in disbelief; a partner activity.

" _That's perfect_." Kyousuke thought to himself sarcastically, watching as the teacher passed out the papers that listed the requirements and specifications. She then told everyone to get to work, and they did. That's when the class became filled with noise. Kyousuke, on the other hand, didn't have a partner. The teacher, knowing this, came up to him with a five-page packet that he would have to do regarding this.

"Well Kyousuke...since you don't have a partner, you'll have to do this yourself." She told him. Somehow, that sentence was enough to set Kyousuke off. This whole day he was trying to beat into his head how he'll have to deal with the absence of a partner, and yet here comes this stupid teacher making it clear as day. The way she said it was even derogatory in a way, since it sounded like she had an attitude because of it. Not that it was surprising; the stigma that became attached to Kyousuke would most definitely influence her in this way. His emotions started to cloud his vision, until suddenly the teacher started snapping her fingers to get his attention. "Hey...hey! Do I have your attention? Get to work." She said disgusted, handing him the paper as he snapped back to reality. Kyousuke was tired of this crap, and her attitude was enough to ignite the dynamite. Taking the paper, he ripped it to shreds right before her eyes, getting up and looking her right in the eyes.

"At least you taught me one thing; you're full of crap." He told her coldly, leaving her in a state of fear. Then, he quickly walked out the door and slammed it behind him, leaving her paralyzed as everyone else watched in surprise. No one tried to stop him, nor try to bring him back. They knew that he just wouldn't do it, no matter how hard they tried.

* * *

Even Natsu felt this way, for he personally had a talk with Kyousuke that ended in disaster.

"Why do you always talk to everyone like they're trash?! That was uncalled for!" Natsu said angrily. Kyousuke had just angrily told off someone who randomly came up to him and told him about a dress they got for Lucy, offending him in a way. He had a response to that.

"Why do you care?"

"You can't just disrespect someone who has something you don't! Maybe you don't have them, but people have feelings!"

"Like you would know!" Kyousuke yelled, screaming in his face without restraint. He went on to verbally annihilate him with nothing but pure hatred. "Why don't you just shut your damn mouth?! You don't know shit about what it's like to be hated and resented for something that was out of your control! Everyone loves _you_ , so shut the hell up you dumbass! Every waking day, I continue to wonder who will try to _kill me today_ because you and your stupid ass friends, along with everyone else in this pathetic school, thinks they know everything and tries to erase me from the brutal, cold reality! Never, ever, talk to me again you stupid bitch!"

And with that he walked off, leaving Natsu to never speak with him again. Natsu was left in complete shock at such a response, having never received such a heartfelt, hateful response from someone who reminded him of another he once couldn't trust. Natsu's rage was common and known, but Kyousuke's was scary because it was rare that he would explode, and this was one of those instances. Their ties were severed completely, and any chances of it being rekindled had been lost due to Kyousuke's hatred for him.

* * *

Back to the present, Kyousuke walked out into the halls and decided to leave the school. His rage on the inside began to grow quickly; having bottled up all of it all this time. He walked faster; the desperation to leave growing ever stronger. The rage kept growing, and he kept moving even faster, running at his fastest in pure rage. It kept growing, and he couldn't stop it. It began to control him, and the rage entered his mind and colored his tainted his thoughts with the experience he just witnessed. He tried to exit the school before it became too strong, but it did so too quickly. Angry and full of frustration, he slammed himself into the lockers with brute strength, leaving a large dent in one of the doors as he released all that bottled up rage.

"Damn them ALL!" Kyousuke yelled angrily, kicking the lockers with brute strength as he then turned around and lied against them. He tried to relax, controlling his anger as it continued to seep from his soul. All he could think of was the amount of hatred he held for everyone, and how they treated him with such disrespect. To think it would escalate to these levels over what was originally deemed to be a minor issue; it was just unbelievable. Being in the school made it seem like a partner was a requirement and not a personal need. To Kyousuke, he was horrified over the lack of one, and yet the school thought it was okay to ridicule him for such. Yes, the school was in on this too, for they couldn't help but become sheep to the stigma created by the students in the school. The goodness in Fairy Tail became blinded by the lies from the stigma, and any chance of seeing Kyousuke for who he really was became impossible. Kyousuke hated them, and he didn't need them either; he just needed a person in specific. Who the hell was that person in specific? The lack of knowledge of such only frustrated Kyousuke even more, who had been waiting for an answer since the beginning of such horror.

"To think a guild's appearance would somehow screw my life over." Kyousuke said to himself disgusted. He couldn't believe it, yet it was the reality...the sad reality. Kyousuke turned onto his right side, looking down at the ground in frustration before looking up at the wall next to the lockers. What caught his eye was something rather unusual; unusual enough to wash away the rage and replace it with curiosity. It was some sort of invitation, but it was unlike the others, which were for stupid school clubs that didn't serve much of a purpose. The invitation was clear and precise, stating specifics for some sort of drafting. Kyousuke read it out-loud.

"This is an invitation from the well-known, special undercover agency known as Stealth Overdrive. Having been sponsored by MDHS, we are interested in drafting new members for our group. This is not any normal school group; this is an agency that specializes in high-tech, advanced weaponry in order to eliminate and eradicate possible threats to our nation. If you're willing to be a part of a group that may put your life at risk for a greater good, be sure to come to our demonstrative assessment base on March 18 at 2:30 PM in the Recon District. Bring any personal weaponry you wish to use in such a group, and take note: YOU WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN ANY CLASSES AT MEGA DAWN FROM THEN ON." He read aloud. It caught his attention, and something stirred within him. It was like there was something about the invitation that made him feel drawn to it, as if he had to do it.

"I'd sure like to get away from these morons." Kyousuke said to himself in relief. He then suddenly remembered a conversation that he overheard. Apparently, not every Fairy Tail member was present in the school. This idea motivated him even more; what if his partner simply wasn't in the right place at the wrong time? Kyousuke took the invitation and stormed out of the school, heading back to his house as he got ready for the event the next day. Stopping him at this point would simply be pointless. Getting away from the school, finding the answers to his problem, and finding the _one,_ was absolutely enough to get him going.

* * *

Eventually, the day had already passed. It was the day of the drafting, and Kyousuke wasn't at the school. His angry exit of the English class had seemed to already have flown over their heads, for everyone was doing their thing as usual. Levy, somehow remembered the strange incident, and it made her curious.

" _He reminds me of him quite a bit. They're so similar."_ She thought to herself curiously. Apparently, Kyousuke had reminded her of someone she knew in the guild, who she hadn't seen in a while. It made her worry indeed, but there wasn't anything she could really do about it. For everyone else, the main thing on their minds was the drafting. They would be watching it as an audience, so they were quite excited. This group did happen to be very important, and the group was widely discussed throughout the world.

Kyousuke, on the other hand, was focused on the drafting too. He was actually going to be a part of it though, and that's what made all the difference. At his place, he had already gotten himself prepared for the demonstration. He wore a black, long-sleeved coat that went down to his lower-calf with blue electricity stemming from the bottom up as a decorative design. Along with that, he wore grey cargo pants and black shoes to compliment the coat, also wearing a grey t-shirt underneath. He had two weapons that he would employ in the use of this test, one of which being a chokuto. The blade was bright and clean, shining brightly alongside a set of black and red pistols. These would be his signature pistols, for he crafted them himself and knew every working component of each gun. These were a "personal weapon" indeed. Ready to go, he requipped the sword back into the requip world whilst holstering the two pistols he had. With that, he had everything he needed, and he was ready to continue on with the demonstration.

"Let's do this." He said to himself, heading off to the Recon District. It was time to unleash the hidden power he had been preserving all this time.


	2. Chapter 2: Identical Talent

Chapter 2: Identical Talent

Today was once again the day of the drafting. Each competitor involved in the test would perform some sort of performance, given the obstacles provided to them by the group themselves, in order to determine their skill level and level of importance in the group. It was made to seem like a competition for there were so many people desperate to get into the group, and they had to compete for the spot. Kyousuke was one of those competitors, and there was no way he would be losing now, at least in his perspective. His method of travel: walking. He preferred it since if he drove, he would have to deal with all the idiots on the road, and he would have serious road rage. Not to mention that walking was less stress-inducing and was more physically beneficial anyway.

He left his place at 1:50 PM, and it took him a half-an-hour before he made it to the base. Kyousuke came across the building and looked at it with a perplexed look. "Demonstrative Assessment Base" they called it; more like a strange building. Its shape was reminiscent of a cone; skinny on the bottom whilst increasing in diameter as it grew upward. Creases within its architecture identified rows that were indented inwards a bit compared to others, alternating one-on-one. The indented rows contained large windows, and these windows were slightly slanted due to the building's cone-like structure. Continuing on, Kyousuke assumed that this was the place; walking up to the front entrance and taking notice of the large sign posted there that displayed "Welcome to the Stealth Overdrive Demonstrative Assessment Base!" The sign post did have some sort of use though; displaying the location competitors needed to be at for the assessment. Taking note, Kyousuke walked into the building, coming across a large room with various aisles and elevators leading to various places. It was a strange interior, for the carpet was red and had a beautiful band of embroidery on it that repeated throughout the whole building; not to mention the beautiful decorations and designs that were put in place.

Kyousuke looked to his right, noticing an aisle that led to an elevator with the label "BASEMENT". Noticing such, he took the route and headed in that direction, approaching the elevator and hitting the downwards arrow on the wall next to it. Within a few seconds, the doors opened with no one inside, prompting Kyousuke to head as he proceeded to head downwards. The doors shut, and the elevator took him to the bottom within a matter of seconds, opening its doors upon reaching its destination. Kyousuke then exited, leaving the doors to close behind him as he continued on, coming across a group of individuals that were supposedly also part of the competition. Surprisingly enough, there were only four competitors, including Kyousuke himself. This left Kyousuke slightly confused until a woman approached him, being an evaluator for the competition.

"Hello, are you here for the demonstrative assessment?" She asked him in a calm, yet respectful voice.

"Yes." Kyousuke simply stated, prompting the woman to reveal a test he had to pass in order to qualify for the demonstration. Then it made sense; no wonder barely anyone was here.

"Shoot these three targets within the 2 inch diameter surrounding the bulls-eye in two minutes tops. Then you'll be qualified for the competition." She explained. It seemed tough, but Kyousuke was pretty tough too. One of the guys covered in a black battle outfit with gun belts attached all over chuckled, looking at Kyousuke like he was some sort of joke. His hair was reminiscent of the building's structure, the only difference being that it was a dirty blonde and it spiraled into spikes.

"What a joke; he'll probably fail just like everyone else did." He said cockily. The maroon haired girl next to him just shook her head annoyed, having dealt with this cocky guy already. Kyousuke, seeing the three targets, observed them very carefully before the timer went off. Just then, the timer started, and Kyousuke flipped out one of his pistols, shooting each target within 5 seconds. Each target displayed a bulls-eye hit afterwards, leaving the cocky guy baffled at Kyousuke's extensive skill. The woman came over and checked each target, completely baffled herself.

"Well...well then. You've been qualified. Good luck!" She said somewhat startled. Kyousuke gave her personal details and she then walked off in disbelief as Kyousuke couldn't help but smirk. What a perfect execution. Remembering what the cocky guy said, he proceeded to sit with the rest of the group as he waited for the competition's start.

"The only joke around here is that stupid hair of yours." Kyousuke said coldly, annoying the guy as he looked away annoyed. The maroon-haired girl couldn't help but laugh herself, only contributing to the guy's annoyance. She was wearing a pink dress made for battle, also wearing at least one bullet belt. Lastly, there was a guy standing next to Kyousuke with his arms crossed. He had a bit beefier of a build and held a rifle on his back, and he had brown hair in a buzz cut. He wore all black just like the annoying guy, only it was more formal. The four just stood there, waiting for something to happen as everything was being set up. The group itself was arriving, the arena was being put up and it was also being set up to broadcast to Mega Dawn High School. Even the group was being sponsored by that school; none of the competitors that Kyousuke was competing against went there. That could've been a bit of a relief, but Kyousuke couldn't care anyways, nor did he care about the reactions that MDHS would have during the assessment. The group patiently waited for 15 minutes until suddenly a door to their right opened up. It moved upward as it slowly revealed the arena they would be competing in, which looked rather strange. A large set of 20 dummies were surrounding the outsides of the stadium, along with a large grey brick hanging from the ceiling. There were six purple diamond-like indentations in the wall too, which were meant for something. Kyousuke quickly observed it with ever growing curiosity, which led him to an assumption.

" _This looks like some kind of puzzle I'll have to solve."_ Kyousuke thought to himself puzzled. The evaluation woman presented a selection of various weapons the group could use in the games. It was optional if they chose to use it or not.

"I suggest selecting some weapons to use; they're going to be expecting quite a lot from you." She told them all as they eyed the weaponry before them.

"I don't need to fill my arsenal; I've got it all right here." The cocky one said pulling out a couple SMGs as the maroon-haired girl rolled her eyes in response. The bigger guy however did proceed to get some weaponry, such as a shotgun and a SMG. Kyousuke didn't feel the need to use another weapon.

"I'll be fine." Kyousuke said quietly, garnering the attention of the girl and the cocky guy.

"Well if getting absolutely blasted apart is your preferred method of loss, be my guest!" He said whilst laughing, annoying the girl somewhat. However, she did agree with him to a certain degree.

"Well, he has a bit of a point. Do you really think that those two pistols alone will get you all the way through this?" The girl asked curiously. Kyousuke felt pretty sure about it, especially since he had that chokuto he hadn't revealed yet. However, he looked at the arena once again and noticed something was off. Somehow this was enough to change his mind, for he walked over to the weaponry and chose the rocket launcher. The cocky guy could only look at him amused.

"So this blasted apart thing is going to be literal then?" He questioned. Kyousuke only ignored him, taking it and requipping it away for later, catching his and the girl's attention.

"Literal as in I'll blast apart the arena." Kyousuke told him in response. They both looked at each other daringly; ready to defeat each other if it came to it. One thing was for sure, one of them wouldn't be losing. Suddenly, the attention of the four was averted to the arena when a mic-popping sound presented itself. It quickly turned into random noise and then a guy's voice.

"Testing...testing…" He said, testing the mic. That was enough to confirm that it was working, and he got to work. "Alright...alright then. Hello to all and everyone acting as a competitor for the Stealth Overdrive Force." He greeted calmly. The guy had a very laid-back tone to his voice, and it was very relaxed. He had blonde hair that had a yellow tinge to it, along with grey eyes and a little bit of a beard growing on his chin. His hair was quite thick and was a shaggy hair-style. He wore blue attire with yellow highlights on it that extended from the neck down to the heels, where he wore black shoes. It was more of a suit, like a biker suit but made for combat. "I'm Daniel Radshot, and this here is my assistant, Sophia Carrol!" He said somewhat jokingly, since Sophia got mad and hit him in the arm.

"I am not your assistant! You're such a loser!" She said annoyed, crossing her arms as Daniel only chuckled in response. She had long, brown hair with green eyes that shined vibrantly. She also wore attire like Daniel's, but it was just blue, no yellow. She had a more assertive and pushy personality, which would often be at odds with Daniel's laid-back personality.

"Anyways, the goal here is to complete every obstacle and challenge presented within the arena in the most efficient, manageable, and precise way possible. The amount of time taken and the amount of damage received in the process of doing so will affect your score, so be sure to perform with exceeding performance. Once finished, The Master will determine the outcome after having processed through each individual performance. Good luck!" He explained, creating confusion for the four.

"The Master?" The girl wondered, as did everyone else.

"Who the heck is that?" The cocky guy said curiously, wondering too. Kyousuke knew that The Master would be someone important, so he took note of him.

" _I'll find out eventually."_ He told himself, focusing on the games. With that, Sophia took the mic from Daniel, leaving him in dismay as she took over without hesitation.

"Alright, first we'll have Grock Stellar up." She announced, prompting Grock, the bigger guy, to move onto the stage.

"I'll finish this before you all get a chance too." He said confidently, leaving everyone else amused as he went into the arena. His appearance created some sort of excitement back at MDHS, not that it really mattered. Upon arrival in the center of the arena, Sophia went on to explain arena specifics.

"Alright, listen up because I'm only going to say this once. The start is initiated on your call; therefore you may take the time to analyze before proceeding with a course of action. The amount of time allotted is infinite, but one may be stopped in the case of fatal injury. Remember, you will be judged by your content. That's all, good luck." She explained.

With that, Grock decided to kick things off by instantly using his SMG. Using it, he prepared to fire at the 20 dummies that surrounded him. The SMG would provide a quick and easy method of eliminating scores of enemies, so using it on the dummies would be a useful tactic. He wasn't the fastest though, and this proved to be a disadvantage. After shooting the last one down, the brick being suspended on the ceiling then started to fall, catching Grock's attention as he prepared to dodge it. Doing so, he watched as it hit the ground with brute force, causing the arena to shake and rattle about like it was struck with an earthquake. That was enough to keep him focused. Focused as he was, he got stuck on what he should be doing next though. It took him a bit, looking around continuously for some sort of other obstacle until he finally found it; a button on the ceiling that needed to be destroyed. Daniel communicated out-loud with Sophia on his performance during the test.

"He's quite aware and possesses great skill in the use of weaponry, but he's not very quick on the uptake." Daniel explained to Sophia, who somewhat agreed.

"I would cut him some slack," she said calmly, "It appears that it's his first time taking the test, and he's certainly doing much better than some of the participants we've had previously." Daniel just shrugged his shoulders in response, agreeing somewhat yet disagreeing.

"I see your point, but we need someone quick."

"And he ain't got that." Someone with a dark voice said. Sophia and Daniel turn to see someone lying against the silver wall in the shadows. You couldn't see his attire, or who he was.

"Ugh...Master?" Daniel said surprised, invoking no sort of reaction from him. Sophia just laughed a bit in response to this discovery.

"Well, I see that you're here. I didn't expect that from the master of Stealth Overdrive." She explained calmly, being content with his appearance.

"Yeah, well I don't want some cheap-trash coming into this group and screwing everything up. They've got to have _talent_." The Master explained. He had that dark, rough voice that produced a no bull-crap aura around him. The Master was also often quite serious. Sophia looked at him intrigued by the last part of his explanation.

" _Talent?_ What do you mean by that?"

"Talent that this guy doesn't have, talent on the level of you two." He explained, provoking a reaction of shock from the two.

"What?!" Sophia said in shock. "You don't seriously expect anyone here to possess that kind of skill, do you?!"

"What I said is final." The Master finalized, making his point concrete. Sophia had no choice but to accept it, sitting back in her seat and shaking her head whilst smirking.

"You and your crazy expectations." She said in disbelief. It made her a bit surprised that he would be putting up these standards for the participants, but that seemed entirely normal to him. Besides, he wasn't going to deal with another cheap recruit when it came to becoming a part of such an important force. Daniel just laughed it off.

"Well okay then, we better start getting ready to leave then." Daniel said jokingly, earning no reaction from the other two. It was made clear that Grock would not become a part of team, especially after what happened next.

After shooting the button, a purple beam was suddenly shot at him, and his reaction-time wasn't quick enough to beat it. It hit him, pushing him into the wall as it began to burn him. He screamed out in pain, having not anticipated such an effect from destroying the button. Grock forcefully pushed himself up and "out of the way", only for the beam to follow him anyways.

"Dammit, this beam is following me!" He shouted in frustration, unknowingly guiding it into one of the purple diamonds. It suddenly highlighted the diamond and somehow activated it, catching Grock's attention as he prepared for the next. "Alright, so that's what…" He said calmly, suddenly getting hit with two other beams. He began to writhe in agony, screaming in pain as the beams began to penetrate into his body, causing more damage than before due to the second beam. It eventually rendered him unmovable, provoking Sophia to stop the demonstration.

"It looks like you're right." Sophia said to The Master in disappointment. He had no response to it. She then stopped the match, announcing his report as he got up and looked at the glass windows where the two were. "Well Grock, I'm sorry, but unfortunately due to your performance on the test, you have not qualified to be a part of Stealth Overdrive." She explained, provoking an angry reaction from him as he angrily threw his arms in the air and walked off.

"Sorry, better luck next time." Daniel said, watching as Grock went back to the other three. The cocky guy couldn't help but laugh at his failure, especially after he said that statement before going in.

"So much for finishing it before we do!" He said insultingly, laughing extremely hard as he earned a scary look from Grock. Pissed off enough, he went over to him and head-butted the cocky guy quite hard, knocking him out as he fell to the floor. Daniel and Sophia saw this personally, leaving themselves a bit surprised.

"Well," Daniel said surprised, "He's certainly pissed."

"It's not our problem so we should just forget about it now." Sophia said calmly, getting ready to announce the next participant. Grock was about to walk off and leave the building, that was, until he gave a warning to the remaining two competitors.

"If either of you passes the test, I'm coming after you." He threatened, leaving the girl in a state of shock. Kyousuke, however, was unimpressed.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Kyousuke questioned sternly, causing Grock to turn and look at him angrily.

"What?! Can't handle it, can you?" Grock questioned angrily, having become quite aggressive as a result of his failure in the demonstration. Kyousuke was still unimpressed, seeing his reaction as a sign of weakness.

"Listen, life throws whatever the hell it wants at you, and some of that is crap no one wants to deal with. You can either deal with it, or whine like you are right now."

"You think I'm a whiner?! I'll show you a whiner!" He angrily shouted, charging at Kyousuke with brute force. The girl started to freak out, watching as he prepared to slam-dunk the unamused Kyousuke Watanabe. The latter stood still, not moving a muscle as Grock charged for him. Within a couple feet of contact, Kyousuke elbowed him right in the stomach, causing Grock great pain as Kyousuke then proceeded to do a round-house kick, sending him flying into the weaponry that was still available. Luckily Grock's impact with the weaponry didn't set anything off, but it was enough to knock him out. Having witnessed the whole thing, the girl looked at Kyousuke shocked, wondering if that was intentional.

"What the hell was that for?" She said a bit startled, causing Kyousuke to explain.

"I was testing his emotional strength since that response to failure was a bit surprising. Nevertheless, the reaction I got was no different from what I assumed it would be." Kyousuke explained, leaving the girl in question at Kyousuke's motives. Why would he have done something so strange? Continuing on, Sophia announced the next competitor, quickly repairing the arena back to its original state for the girl's performance.

"Well, since our next participant has been presumably knocked out, let's go for Kyoko Mano." She announced, just as Kyoko goes into the arena.

"Looks like it's my turn. Wish me luck!" She said cheerfully as if Kyousuke was actually going to do something like that. She ran out into the arena with a revolver in hand, ready to go. MDHS looked at her with surprise, wondering what she planned on doing with it.

With that, she went off, using her magnum revolver and firing once at each dummy. Instead of spraying each of the dummies down, she took them out using one shot from the revolver, which proved to be a much faster and more efficient method than the use of the SMG. Daniel looked at her surprised, watching as she quickly fired at each target whilst maintaining the power of the weapon in hand.

"Wow, I'm surprised that she can even control that." Daniel said amused, being more interested in this demonstration than the one before. Kyoko got out into the center of the arena, firing down the last five dummies rather quickly. With that, the trap was triggered, and she instantly did a back handspring in order to avoid the large brick that fell to the ground. She was quite agile, and this gave her an advantage. Remembering Grock's technique, she quickly looked up and destroyed the button with a rifle that she got from the selection of weaponry provided to her before. This too resulted in the same effect, prompting Kyoko to use a shield as a guard against the beams. What was strange about these beams was that they didn't reflect off the shield, even with the material used on the shield being metal. It intrigued Kyousuke and Kyoko, who tried to defend herself against the beam whilst shooting down the diamond like targets.

"I wonder…" She said in the midst of frustration, taking her revolver and firing it with one hand at a nearby diamond. Surprisingly enough, the amount of power involved in firing that magnum revolver single-handedly overpowered Kyoko, sending her flying back as the beam followed the bullet fired instead. Kyousuke looked at it in shock.

" _So they're tracer beams!"_ Kyousuke thought to himself surprised. Tracer beams, as described in the name, follow the fastest moving object in the vicinity. That's why it directly targeted Grock, since he was the fastest moving "object". This provided a new solution to Kyousuke's plan that he had been formulating from his observation; not that it was entirely necessary. It did provide some sort of use though; giving him an opportunity to eliminate any excess time that may result from ignorance on the arena. Kyoko, having been blasted back from that powerful shot, immediately got her shield and guarded against the two other beams that were focused in on her.

"Using the revolver won't work; there's got to be another weapon I can use!" She said to herself frustrated, pulling out a pistol from her arsenal. She then looked at it in a state of relief. "That's it!" She said, using it. Kyoko fired at every diamond on the wall, activating each diamond and "completing the course" as she then fell to her knees. She had been quite exhausted from having to use all that strength against the beams, which proved to be quite strong. Despite being quite exhausted, she was quite interested in hearing her result. "So, how did I do?" She questioned with excitement. Sophia and Daniel looked at each other real quick before looking to The Master, who didn't say anything since his last statement.

"She's got something...I'll consider her." The Master said, prompting Sophia to announce her result.

"Well you did do a much better job than Grock, and you're skill in handling that revolver was quite impressive. We'll take you into consideration, and we'll decide after the last participant's performance." She explained, causing Kyoko to jump happily and throw her arms in the air.

"Yes!" She said excitedly, running back to Kyousuke as she waited for his performance. She put her hands behind her back and looked at him with a happy look. "Well, good luck to you then." She said calmly, waiting as Kyousuke looked at her surprised. He didn't think that she would say something like that; it gave him the feeling that this wouldn't be the last time they meet. With that, Sophia went on to announce the last competitor.

"Alright, now we have our last competitor, Kyousuke Watanabe." She announced, prompting Kyousuke to head out into the arena. MDHS was sent into a spiral of disbelief, causing everyone to leave except for Natsu, Dayton, Roxanne, and Erza. Aside from them, it seemed that his stylish outfit caught the group's attention, who observed him curiously.

"Well...well, he looks kind of like the master." Daniel said surprised, who turned to look at The Master as did Sophia. The Master was just quiet; had no response to it. Kyousuke may have resembled him somehow, but he had to prove his skill in the arena. Daniel and Sophia focused back on Kyousuke, who was observing the arena. He looked at every dummy, every diamond on the wall, the brick being hung from the ceiling. With that, he was ready to perform.

" _Let's do this."_ He thought to himself, instantly pulling out his two pistols and firing away. The pistols were semi-automatic, so Kyousuke had an advantage here with the weaponry he used, not to mention his impressive speed. He hit each dummy with perfect precision at an incredible speed; nearly twice as fast as Kyoko's performance. This left her in a state of shock, while surprising Daniel and Sophia.

"He's just as fast!" Sophia shouted in shock, being completely mind blown as The Master still quietly watched. Quickly finishing, Kyousuke requipped his chokuto and jumped in the air right when the brick fell. He took the chokuto and stuck it into the brick, using it to get on top of it as he then shot the button in the ceiling. Looking down, he came across another button on top of the brick, shooting it as well. Daniel noticed this and looked at Kyousuke intrigued, being shocked by his performance, especially his speed and technique.

"Well then, he's decided to take it the hard way." Daniel said calmly, watching as Kyousuke pulled out his sword and jumped back. A hole in the ground was open as a result, and the brick fell inside. This gave Kyousuke more breathing room and an advantage when it came to activating each diamond, but it came with a price. Suddenly, all six beams targeted Kyousuke, prompting him to use his chokuto as a defense mechanism. Whilst doing so, he observed the area around him and realized that he could make contact with each diamond, prompting him to shoot each one with one of his pistols. This allowed him to finish the course and give him the biggest chance at becoming a member, but he wasn't done. Remembering the observation that he picked up on earlier, he requipped that rocket launcher he used previously, prompting to use it directly on the wall in-front of him. He fired, blasting it apart and leaving a large pile of debris as a result. With that, he dropped the rocket launcher, proceeding to enter the area he had just revealed. What was inside was a machine that could be programmed to communicate with the spectators of the assessment. Kyousuke then programmed it to display Daniel, Sophia, and the Master; who he still couldn't see. On the glass that allowed the group to spectate the demonstrations, Kyousuke appeared as a new screen entirely. He then looked at the members, leaving Kyoko in utter bafflement behind, as he proceeded to get information.

"Okay, so what are my results?" He asked, causing Daniel and Sophia to both stare at each other again before turning to The Master. They felt like he would be an essential member to the team, but The Master had to decide if that was true himself. Underneath the shadows that refused to give light to his reaction, he gave a grin.

"Let him in. Better start getting to know your new teammate." He said walking off as the other two looked at him in shock. Kyousuke smiled in relief; he got somewhere for once. Sophia then looked at him and gave him instructions, still shocked by his absolutely impressive performance.

"Well, you heard him. Stay where you're at. You'll be transported to our helicopter where we'll be heading back to our personal hideout." She explained. With that, silver doors behind Kyousuke began to shut closed as he was then locked in. The room itself then slowly moved upward, taking him to his destination. Daniel gave one last speech regarding the tryouts.

"To everyone else that has participated, thank you for coming! You have lost out this time, but be sure to come back next time when we are recruiting new members to have a second go!" He explained, prompting Kyoko to leave as the cocky guy and Grock were left behind. Daniel then let out a sigh of relief, finally done with the tryouts.

"Thank god this thing's over; I was getting sick of having to speak so profoundly." He said calmly, leaving with Sophia as they prepared to leave. The room Kyousuke was in continued to lift him up until it stopped, opening up behind him as it revealed a helicopter landing site on the building. Daniel and Sophia were already there, waiting for him as Kyousuke left the room and went up to them, who welcomed him to the team. "Welcome to Stealth Overdrive my friend. We'll give you the important stuff on the ride back to our hideout." Daniel explained, allowing Kyousuke to enter the helicopter first. He did so, followed by Daniel and then Sophia.

With that, the copter door was closed and they proceeded to take off. The helicopter lifted up and took off, heading straight for their hideout. Kyousuke sat on one of the seats while Daniel and Sophia sat on the other. He was intent on finding answers, and so he would start off slowly.

"So then, give a rundown of the purpose behind this group." Kyousuke requested. Daniel looked at him a bit surprised.

"Wow, quick to action I see. Well then, the descriptor that you saw on the invitation to the demonstration, you better forget it." Daniel explained. This confirmed Kyousuke's suspicions; there was more to it than meets the eye. "We're a group specializing in the latest technology and weaponry, going around and finding mystical objects and ancient jewels and that kind of stuff." He explained. Sophia continued on.

"A lot of the stuff we do is related to power-hungry, corrupt individuals trying to "take over the world" as basically put. That's kind of where the "beneficial to mankind" description came from."

"Alright then, so who's this "master" that you've been talking about?" Kyousuke asked. Both Sophia and Daniel looked at him in amusement.

"Of course he wants to know about the master; should've seen that coming a mile away." Daniel explained, provoking curiosity within Kyousuke.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well you look just like him, not to mention your performance was nearly identical to his." Daniel explained. Sophia continued on.

"Not everything was identical, but those two pistols you employed were used in the same fashion." She explained. Kyousuke then pulled out one of them, observing it with increasing curiosity as he felt somewhat surprised.

"I just crafted them myself."

"And the master did too with his." Sophia explained. Kyousuke was surprised that there would be so many similarities, but he still wanted his question to be answered.

"So then if I'm so similar, who the heck is he?"

"Oh, we'll tell you that when we get to the hideout." Daniel explained. Kyousuke was then sent into confusion.

"Why is that?"

"The master wants to see you personally, have a talk with you, do something like that. Besides, he's not on the copter, so you won't be able to see him until we get back anyways." Daniel explained. Kyousuke looked at him surprised; who was controlling the plane?

"So, is this plane then just in autopilot?"

"Yes, it is." Sophia confirmed. "Our technology allows us to dial in the most technical of parameters, so the autopilot for this helicopter is much more efficient and accurate than your typical airline."

"Okay then." Kyousuke said calmly. With that, the group was then taken to their hideout.

* * *

Eventually they made it back, and the helicopter landed onto the ground in the back of the hideout. It looked like just some single-floored building; having only one door and being covered in grey like concrete. The group got out of the plane, heading towards the door and entering. On the inside revealed a whole new world. The room consisted of a blue, metallic wall covering it with detailed, technological engravings on it for style. There was a couch and a TV, a door leading to a kitchen, a door leading to a bathroom with four sinks and two separate showers, and a door leading to a hallway with bedrooms inside. Kyousuke observed the area, taking note that the couch was quite messy and the fridge was accessed quite often.

"Well, here's your new home. You better get used to it, cause it's not gonna change." Daniel explained. Kyousuke had already expected that; at least it wasn't some crappy dump.

"So then, the boring outside appearance is used as a disguise?"

"Bingo." Daniel said. He sat on the couch as Sophia got ready to inform Kyousuke of some very important information.

"Okay, now it's to let you in on it all. We're going to introduce you to our master." Sophia explained, getting Kyousuke rather intrigued.

"Okay then, tell me about him." Kyousuke requested. Daniel got up and decided to start explaining.

"Well you don't have to call him master anymore; we just did that because his identity is kept secret. I mean you can, but we just call him _Gajeel_."

"Gajeel?" Kyousuke said surprised, prompting Sophia to explain.

"Yeah. His full name is Gajeel Redfox, and he's our leader for a reason. You won't be disappointed when you meet him." Sophia explained. They sure did a good job at propping him up. Just then, a door opened and out someone came in.

"Alright, listen up." He said, turning out to be Gajeel himself. Kyousuke observed his appearance and became quite stunned. He had long, black, spiky hair that almost went down to his waist. Along with that were red, snake-like eyes that surrounded him in that dark aura even more. Iron studs replaced his eyebrows, along with being placed on his nose, chin, ears, and arms. He had a quite muscular build, and was most certainly strong indeed. His outfit was nearly identical to his outfit on the fifth day of the Grand Magic Games, with some slight differences. On his shoulders were badges indicating that he was a member of Stealth Overdrive and that he was their leader, displaying "Alpha" on one of the badges. The bandanna was absent, and on the inside of the long, black coat were two black pistols that he had crafted himself.

He approached Kyousuke and began to observe him, taking note of his appearance as Kyousuke eyed him in the process. As strange as it was Kyousuke felt somewhat pulled into something. It was like something was pulling him in because of Gajeel's appearance. Once Gajeel finished observing, he stood and crossed his arms, continuing on by asking questions.

"Alright, tell me about yourself. I don't need any spies trying to break up this group." Gajeel said. He was quite blunt with what he said at points, but that didn't bother Kyousuke one bit. Kyousuke didn't refuse, for he knew that something like that would be requested.

"I'm Kyousuke Watanabe. I'm 19 years of age, and I previously attended Mega Dawn High School. I held no ties with them whatsoever, and I lived on my own without anyone else. I came here in order to cultivate my talents and put them to use." Kyousuke explained. That last bit was a lie; there was no way Kyousuke could just spew information about his personal life right away. Gajeel could pick up on how that last bit was bull-crap, but he let it go for now. Everything else seemed legit, and he just needed to confirm Kyousuke's identity.

"Good. We're heading off on your first mission tomorrow, so you better be ready!" Gajeel explained, leaving the room once more as Kyousuke watched him leave. There was something about him that was intriguing. It sunk within Kyousuke for a bit until Sophia snapped him out of it.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked concerned, snapping Kyousuke out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kyousuke said. Sophia went on to explain more on Gajeel.

"Lately, he's been doing stuff on his own and doesn't come out here much. You should probably expect that."

"What do you mean lately?" Kyousuke said. Sophia suddenly paused. Her tone then became somewhat sorrow.

"Well...I'll tell you later when you've become familiar with the group an all." She said in response. Kyousuke assumed that something serious had happened, and just put it aside for the time being. The time was already 7:30, since the flight to the hideout was at least three-four hours long. Sophia then prepared to head into the hallway where Gajeel just entered. "Come on, I'll show you to your room." She said, prompting Kyousuke to follow as she went in.

Sophia went to the first door on her right when entering, opening it and showing him his room. It was a nice room, containing a bed, a desk, a drawer, a closet with some clothing, and a compartment for storing weapons.

"Well here's your room. The room directly across is mine, the room next to mine is Daniel's, and the room next to yours is Gajeel's. You can consider yourself lucky if he ever lets you in; he never reveals anything in there." Sophia explained. Kyousuke then nodded and proceeded to get comfortable.

"Alright, thanks." Kyousuke said calmly, proceeding to get ready to crash. He was tired, and he needed the sleep. The mission they would be going on would be difficult in some way, so Kyousuke needed the rest. Sophia explained the other options.

"If you need to kill some time or something, you can always go watch TV. We'll show you the other rooms here later; I'm too tired to do it now. If you're hungry, you can always get something out of the fridge. Try not to eat everything though; we can only get some much so often." She explained. Kyousuke took note of it all, listening as Sophia went on. "Also, being a member of the Stealth Overdrive Force means we're all in this together. If you've got personal problems you need to sort out or something, you can always come talk to either me or Daniel. You can also talk to Gajeel, but he doesn't like being bugged a whole lot."

"I see." Kyousuke said calmly. He kept thinking about him, and Sophia went on about him.

"A lot of stuff has happened between the three of us, and he's gotten a lot of bull-crap sent his way. It would probably help out if you built some sort of relationship with him." Sophia explained. It was as if she was insistent on getting Kyousuke to hang out with Gajeel, which was surprising considering Kyousuke's current thoughts. For now though, he needed to think about it later.

"Alright, thanks for the info. I'm gonna head to bed then." Kyousuke explained. Sophia then nodded, leaving as Kyousuke went up and shut the door. Gajeel still coursed within his mind, but he wondered why. He got himself situated and was ready to crash. Getting into bed, he shut the light off and prepared to sleep. It then hit him. "Could he be my partner?"


	3. Chapter 3: The First Mission

Chapter 3: The First Mission

Today was the day of Kyousuke's first mission. Luckily, he had already been ready for it, getting up at 6:00 in the morning due to having gone to bed so early. The first thing he did was head out into the kitchen and cook something; he thought that since he was living here then he might as well get used to it immediately. He cooked up some eggs and bacon, having found some in the fridge and deciding something light would be better than a heavy breakfast. Enough was made for everyone to get their fair share, so he took his and sat down at the counter in kitchen. Before taking his first bite, however, he heard the door behind him open, prompting him to turn around to see who it was. It turned out to be Gajeel, who just left his room and was coming out for the first time of the day. Behind him was Sophia, who happened to get up at the same time he left his room. The two both came into the kitchen; Sophia first initiating a conversation.

"I see you're awake quite early." Sophia said, rubbing her eyes as she walked in behind Gajeel. Kyousuke waited a bit before deciding to start on his meal.

"I did go to bed quite early. There's some bacon and eggs if you want any." Kyousuke offered, eating some of his breakfast as Gajeel came in. He took a couple slices and scarfed them down, surprising Kyousuke quite a bit. Gajeel then started looking through the fridge for something just as Sophia sat down next to Kyousuke after getting herself some breakfast.

"Hey Gajeel, pass me the hot sauce." She requested. Gajeel then took it and tossed it behind him with enough precision for Sophia to catch it. He must've been quite skilled, especially since the average person would probably take someone's eye out with that kind of throw. Sophia thanked Gajeel and proceeded to put it on her eggs, asking Kyousuke questions in the process. "So then, what's it feel like: being a new member of the Stealth Overdrive Force?" She asked. Kyousuke looked at her a bit perplexed.

"I haven't been here that long, so I don't know."

"Reasonable enough." Sophia said. At that point in time, Gajeel got some iron bricks and sat himself down at the counter, preparing to eat them as Kyousuke watched in surprise. Sophia noticed his expression and proceeded to clear up some of the confusion. "Oh yeah, don't be surprised when you see him eating iron. He's an Iron Dragon Slayer." Sophia explained. This only caused Kyousuke to focus on Gajeel even more; what a strange connection. Gajeel proceeded to take a bite of his iron before looking at Kyousuke, whose attention was diverted back to Sophia by another question. "That reminds me, what kind of magic do you use, if you use any?" She asked curiously. Kyousuke was then put into a dilemma.

" _Dammit, I don't need her asking me that right now!_ " Kyousuke thought to himself in frustration. Even Gajeel was staring at him with those penetrating eyes; he was desperate to know. Crap, if he revealed that he too was a dragon slayer, what would happen? Would they try to compare the two through various tests? Would Gajeel suddenly buddy up with Kyousuke or something? Whatever it was, it was disrupted by Sophia, who added on another bit to the question.

"If you don't have any magic power, you can tell us. It's not like we're not going to be particularly upset by it."

"No, it's not that." Kyousuke said calmly, unintentionally provoking an even greater interest in Sophia.

"Okay then tell me, what type of magic do you specialize with?" She asked with ever growing curiosity. Kyousuke then realized that by trying to hide it he would look quite suspicious, so instead he decided to reveal it.

"Okay, I'm an…" He said, just before a loud noise was heard throughout the room. It sounded like something fell over, and it prompted Sophia to get up and go after it.

"Dammit, it's probably Daniel." She said in frustration, instantly leaving the room. Kyousuke was relieved at being spared the shock of revealing the type of magic he used, and he finished up his breakfast as a result. After doing so, he looked up to see that Gajeel was still eating his iron. The way he ate it was kind of like a dragon; he was most definitely a dragon slayer. Upon watching him, the thought of the mission today coursed through his mind, prompting Kyousuke to ask Gajeel about it.

"So Gajeel, what's this mission that we're going on today?" He asked Gajeel, who didn't seem reluctant to answer.

"We're heading out to retrieve a special diamond called the 'Agapi Stone'". He explained. Kyousuke looked at him a bit perplexed.

"That's a strange name for a stone."

"Yeah, well so is its power." Gajeel said in response. He had already finished his iron and got up, preparing to head back out until he stopped at the door.

"Come here, I wanna show you something." He told Kyousuke, surprising him. Kyousuke, having also finished his breakfast, got up and proceeded to follow Gajeel, who then continued down through the hallway. He passed his own room as he proceeded to head into another area. Kyousuke eyed the door to Gajeel's room with increasing curiosity before turning his attention back to Gajeel. Turning a right at the end, Gajeel walked down to another door with a button on the wall next to it, which he pressed. Soon an elevator came up and its doors opened, prompting Gajeel to enter as Kyousuke followed along. Kyousuke observed the elevator curiously and noted that there were only two buttons on the inside, which was a bit perplexing.

"I thought this panel would be more sophisticated."

"It doesn't need to be. We've got it all down here." Gajeel explained, clearing up the confusion for Kyousuke. Soon the doors opened, allowing Gajeel and Kyousuke to exit and observe the area they were in. It looked like a hangar, especially since there were actually aircraft and spacecraft sitting inside of it. Helicopters, fighter jets, shuttles; whatever the group needed in order to complete their missions. Kyousuke observed it in awe, being impressed by their ability to store all this without being discovered for it. "Wherever we go," Gajeel explained, "this is our starting point."

"So then we come down here whenever we have a mission?"

"Exactly." Gajeel assured. With that, Kyousuke took note of it and decided to head back on Gajeel's instruction.

"Go get your stuff together and come back. You'll find out the rest then." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke then returned to the first floor using the same elevator he just went down. It would be strange to know that one would be sleeping above a large hangar for months on end, but Kyousuke would get used to it. Upon returning to the hallway, Kyousuke came across Sophia and Daniel fighting. Not necessarily an argument in actuality, more like a struggle to get Daniel on track.

"Dammit Daniel! We have a mission today; wake the hell up!" Sophia shouted, slapping Daniel in the face as she drug him out of the room. He was a pretty heavy sleeper, being able to withstand all that and stay in a state of slumber. Eventually she became fed up, dropping him on the ground and pulling out a pistol of her own. It resembled an H&K VP70 and she fired it off into the air, waking Daniel up whilst sending him into a state of fright.

"Whoa whoa, who is that?!" He shouted in shock, turning to Sophia and realizing it was her.

"So you've finally decided to wake up, did you?"

"Hey I'm sorry; it was just a good dream." Daniel said in response, inflicting annoyance within Sophia as she walked off angrily.

"Whatever! You've been doing this ever since! Gajeel's waiting for us, so hurry up!" Sophia said annoyed, prompting Daniel to run into the kitchen and get his fair share of breakfast. Kyousuke, having witnessed the whole thing, brushed it off and went into his room in order to prepare himself for the mission. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing that he needed in particular. He had everything in his arsenal he brought to the demonstration, and he wasn't given anything in particular that he needed to bring, so he was good. With that, after tidying up his room for later, he headed back down to Gajeel and waited for the others, who didn't take long themselves.

When they got down to the hangar, Gajeel walked over to some sort of strange aircraft.

"This is our NovaGlider, and you'll be riding it wherever we go." Gajeel explained, starting it and preparing it for the group. Like the helicopter the three rode back home, the NovaGlider also had an autopilot function that was surprisingly top-notch. It would be enough to get them to their location, but in the case of such a function failing and reverting to a "manual pilot" mode, the three original members had been trained in piloting the aircraft if it ever came to it. It seemed as if Stealth Overdrive had all the different types of technological innovations they would possibly need. Gajeel didn't need to explain anymore. He hopped onto the glider as the other two did the same. After Kyousuke got on last, they prepared to take off. A large opening in the ceiling revealed itself as the glider levitated off the ground, proceeding to head up and out of the hangar and take off. Upon leaving the hanger, the ceiling closed itself shut to prevent anyone from invading it in any way.

The NovaGlider then set its course for the location of the Agapi Stone and headed in that direction. The group couldn't do much inside of the glider except wait for their arrival at their destination, so it was silent for a while. I was a little bit before Kyousuke suddenly thought of something peculiar and asked about it.

"So what's with this sudden mission out of the blue?" Kyousuke wondered, catching everyone else's attention. "You know that I'm not that experienced with this group, so why not train me for this kind of mission instead?"

"He's so analytical; we'll never get a thing past him." Daniel says somewhat depressingly. Kyousuke became a bit impatient with him.

"Can you just answer the question?"

"Alright, this mission is one we've been struggling with for the past month." Sophia explained, inflicting curiosity upon Kyousuke. "Every other member we've recruited for this mission has botched their part in one way or another, so we've been unable to obtain this stone for those reasons."

"Define botched." Kyosuke requested, prompting Daniel to go on.

"Harm a teammate, lose the stone, get caught, get the whole group caught, betrayal...you get it." Daniel explained. Kyousuke looked at him surprised, looking out the corner of his eye to see Gajeel witnessing the whole thing. He wasn't as chatty as the other two; in fact, he was quite serious.

"So this mission will probably test how much of an asset I am to the team."

"You pick up on this stuff really quickly." Sophia said in amusement. Kyousuke looked up at her before looking at Gajeel, who turned and looked back at the window after making brief eye-contact with Kyousuke. The latter continued to wonder about him; why was he so intriguing? There was something about him that drew him in, like some sort of magnetic energy. Aside from that, Kyousuke focused on the mission at hand.

"Do any of you have a plan?" Kyousuke asked. Sophia quickly pulled out a map of a base, most likely the one they were headed off to. She laid it out on the ground and flattened it out, bringing Gajeel's attention over to it as she went over the details.

"No we don't, so we should probably formulate one." Sophia explained. Gajeel came up and kneeled down next to the map, coming up with ideas as Daniel watched whilst standing. Sophia went on to explain the details. "Here's the entrance we'll be taking. It's a backdoor alleyway that we can slide down in order to get to the storage room, the least likely area of persecution. From the storage room we can split up into these various sectors and take our own routes towards the stone." Sophia explained. Gajeel analyzed the map and noticed how there was an area that split off into four separate corridors that led to the core, where the stone was being kept.

"That stone is powering the entire thing, and when we get it the whole base is gonna power-down. One of us is gonna have to be the one who gets it while the rest of us makes an escape route." Gajeel explained. He was right, for once they got the stone the entire base would be put into a panic and they would have a much more difficult time escaping. Kyousuke chimed in.

"I'll get the stone."

"Are you sure?" Sophia questioned. She didn't want Kyousuke to hastily take up a part that had to be done perfectly, but Kyousuke was insistent on it.

"I can get in and out instantly, it won't be a problem." Kyousuke said, convincing Sophia. Gajeel didn't show any signs of disapproval and Daniel seemed to be okay with whatever took place. Gajeel then proceed to explain upon a course of action.

"Alright then, he's gonna get the stone and she's gonna provide back-end support with take-it-easy over there." Gajeel explained, intentionally annoying Daniel somewhat.

With that, the group was set on a plan and a course of action. It was lucky for them that they arrived at their destination at that time, so they could get straight to work. The NovaGlider slowly let itself fall until it was levitating feet off the ground. Gajeel deported first with everyone else following behind him. Upon leaving the NovaGlider they saw a large, black, dome-shaped building in front of them. It was the base. As they ran off towards it, Kyousuke had one question on his mind.

"So then Gajeel, what are you gonna be doing?"

"Getting you into the core." He said in response, looking back at Kyousuke briefly before setting his focus on the base. They used the map Sophia had and an electronic compass to determine where they needed to go, but they quickly stopped.

"We ain't gonna get there running like this." Gajeel said, pulling out a green beam from his coat as he stretched it out into a hover board. He pulled out a blue one and tossed it to Kyousuke, who watched the other two do the same with theirs. Sophia's was pink and Daniel's was yellow, so it made it easy to define whose was whose. Kyousuke imitated the process Gajeel performed and morphed the beam into a hover board too, getting onto it as he watched Gajeel take off instantly. He was flying, speeding across the desert that surrounded the base. Sophia and Daniel waited for Kyousuke to get on so they could teach him, but Kyousuke already took off with ease and followed behind Gajeel. This only left the two in amusement.

"Should've seen that coming." Daniel said calmly, taking off as Sophia followed from behind. It didn't take them that long to get to the base thanks to the hover boards. When they did they converted the hover boards back into beams and stored them away. The group had surrounded a large, square vent that would lead into the base. Knowing that, Gajeel kicked it in and watched as the cover flew down the vent, opening the pathway for everyone. He then turned his attention to Kyousuke, who had been calmly observing the whole time.

"You go in first." Gajeel told him, prompting Kyousuke to head down the vent. After him followed Gajeel, then Daniel, and lastly Sophia. It was quite a complex vent, leading down in various directions before leading Kyousuke to an opening that he flew out of. As he, along with the rest of the group, had determined earlier, the opening he flew out of led him into the storage room. It wasn't long before Gajeel and the other two landed in the same area, observing the room as they continued on with their plan. Gajeel, being the leader, expected the group to do as planned without the need of instruction (unless he requested it specifically), so he took off with Kyousuke following from behind as the other two prepared an escape route. Normally one would have to devise another plan in order to exit, but luckily they could use the beams they had in order to escape through the vent. The main problem was the security.

"Do you think they may have tightened their security?" Daniel questioned, only for Sophia to immediately answer.

"Possibly, but it would probably be pretty cheap considering how easily we've escaped before. It most likely won't be an issue."

"Most likely?"

"Just go with it!" Sophia said annoyed. Leaving the storage room, she peered outside and checked to see if anyone was there. Gajeel and Kyousuke were already gone from sight, and no one else was there. "Well that's good." Sophia said in relief. Turning around, her expression suddenly turned to shock as she saw a red creature approaching Daniel. He gave her a strange look, not knowing what she was so shocked about. Before he could do anything, she had him freeze as she pulled out a black pistol and slowly aimed it at the creature. At that moment, the creature shouted and jumped at Daniel, who immediately turned around despite being told to stay put. Sophia then shot the creature down with a blue beam from the pistol, eradicating it from existence as Daniel looked at her in relief.

"Well that was a close one."

"Yeah, well we better get out of here soon." Sophia suggested. She assumed that they could become potential targets after that encounter, so they ought to leave before it gets dangerous. As for Gajeel and Kyousuke, they were getting closer to the stone with each passing second. They came across some creatures here and there, but Gajeel knew how to get by them without the need of a fight. Time was of the essence, and Gajeel wouldn't be very impressed by their skill anyway.

"They won't put up a good fight, so it's pointless to waste time dealing with them." Gajeel explained as Kyousuke understood. Kyousuke seemed to be more concerned about the stone though.

"How long before we get to the stone?" Kyousuke asked, just as the two came across a diamond-shaped, pink object glowing down the hall.

"There it is." Gajeel said calmly. Kyousuke, observing it from a distance at first, headed towards it as Gajeel stood back and watched. He was more curious about how Kyousuke would get the stone rather than Kyousuke actually getting it. Standing back, he watched as Kyousuke walked down the hallway in order to get closer to the stone. He approached the wall as he formulated a plan within his mind, just in case there were any traps that he could accidentally set off. As he was doing so, a red creature dropped down from the ceiling and slowly approached Kyousuke, who had his pistols out just in case something happened. Gajeel saw it from where he was at, but didn't do anything for he was more interested in seeing how Kyousuke would react. At that moment, Kyousuke quickly took notice and eliminated the creature with a couple shots, causing it to disintegrate as Gajeel continued to watch.

At that same moment, Daniel and Sophia had cleared a route for them to take upon leaving, and they simply waited and stood on guard afterwards. Daniel, starting to get bored with the idea of just standing there, decided to engage in conversation.

"So then Sophia, what do you think the outcome's gonna be this time?"

"How the hell should I know?" Sophia said calmly, "We've always failed our previous attempts due to some stupid mistake our last recruits made. The worst thing that could happen would be for Kyousuke to screw up and disappoint our master even more, especially after all the time he spent searching for a recruit like him."

"Well well, you're certainly grouchy today."

"Oh give me a break." Sophia said annoyed. Daniel continued to push her buttons for the sake of it. He did it all the time, even if it meant being punched in the face by Sophia.

"Come on and chill out, you're too pissed off all the time."

"Oh shut up!" She yells angrily, punching him in the stomach as she sent him flying back into the wall. Unknowingly there was a security switch behind Daniel, and that's where he was flying to. With the force delivered by Sophia's punch he activated the switch, setting off the security alarms as the group was put into a shock.

"Security Alert, Security Alert. Putting base into lock-down mode immediately." It said in a robotic voice as it continuously repeated. Listening to the repeated message, Sophia shot an angry look at Daniel.

"Daniel! Why the hell did you do that?!"

"What?! You sent me flying into the switch!" Daniel responded angrily, stressing out Sophia even more. Eventually she got fed up, ready to head off.

"Alright, just forget about it. We need to get out of here now!" Sophia ordered, pulling out her beam as Daniel did the same. Using them as hover boards and escaping through the vent, they relied on Gajeel and Kyousuke to get out on their own. Gajeel took notice of the alarm at the same moment Kyousuke did when it went off.

"What the hell are they doing?!" Gajeel said annoyed, watching Kyousuke look around in shock.

"Dammit! I don't have the stone yet!" Kyousuke shouted in frustration. Things only took a turn for the worst as a countdown took place, leaving only three minutes before the base was put into a lockdown.

"We've got no time; let's get the hell out of here!" Gajeel ordered, taking off as Kyousuke watched him leave. Kyousuke stared back at the stone, stressed out over the idea of getting it or leaving it behind. As he did, Gajeel traced his steps back into the storage room where they entered, and he used his beam in order to zip through the vent to get back outside of the base. He activated the beam and used it as a teleportation device, shooting it into the vent as he pulled with it. Eventually he managed to make it outside of the base where Sophia and Daniel were, who both ran up to Gajeel in response, both with questions.

"Did you get the stone?!" Daniel questioned in concern. Gajeel couldn't answer for Sophia immediately asked another question.

"Where's Kyousuke?!"

"He's still down there!" Gajeel shouted in frustration, running over to the vent and looking into it as he wondered where he was. Sophia started stressfully pacing around, hoping that he would make it out before getting trapped within the base. If Kyousuke was trapped within the base, the group would have to either bust through walls in order to save him or leave him behind.

"We can't lose a new member right now!" Sophia shouted in frustration as Daniel watched in shock.

"There ain't no way I'm leaving him behind after finally finding a good teamate!" Gajeel shouted angrily, becoming increasingly frustrated with each passing second. Gajeel kept his focus on the vent, noticing a blue beam radiate through the vent. His expression turned into surprise as he saw Kyousuke coming up through the vent, flying out and immediately converting the beam into a hover board.

"They're going to activate the protective outer-layer shield. We have to get moving!" Kyousuke suggested, prompting to take off as Gajeel and the others did the same. They had ten seconds to get out of sight before the shield would be activated, otherwise they would be trapped and have no way of escape. Using the beams, the group managed to evade the shield as a green, protective, outer-layer encompassed the base right after they all exited its radius. Noticing this, Gajeel stopped as the others followed, focusing their attention on the base as they could only observe with wonder and frustration. Sophia had the stone on her mind, wondering if they had got it all this time.

"Did you get the stone?" Sophia asked Gajeel. He had no reply, starring off into the sky with a serious look. Sophia felt somewhat upset, shaking her head in disappointment as Daniel looked at them surprised. He was in disbelief at what happened, especially since he was part of the cause.

"Crap, I was sure we would get the stone this time." He said calmly, becoming upset about it.

"Well it's a good thing I spent a little extra time to get it." Kyousuke said calmly, diverting everyone's attention towards him as he pulled out the pink stone from his coat. Seeing its glow, Sophia jumped towards him in shock.

"No way! You got the stone!" She shouted, having her spirits lifted as everyone else looked at him in surprise. She grabbed him and hugged him happily as she shook him from side to side while Daniel walked up behind her.

"Wow, that's impressive." Daniel said stunned. Kyousuke couldn't help but smile a bit at Sophia's joy. Besides, they had finally solved a mission they had tried to complete for over a month now. Gajeel watched them celebrate, growing a smile on his face that only he knew of. He was more impressed with Kyousuke's comeback tactic for getting the stone, and it made him sure that he finally found a member worthwhile.

"Alright, quit jumping and screaming. We gotta get back and start getting ready to train." Gajeel explained. With that, the group got back into the NovaGlider and headed back. Sophia was still jumping and screaming over it anyways. She was most certainly excited about their success.

"So did you just take it or what?" She asked Kyousuke, who was calm as usual.

"I took it and used my magic to create a fake. I thought it might suspend the amount of time it took before they would catch on."

"How cunning." Sophia explained in surprise. Surprisingly, she didn't ask what type of magic he used, which Kyousuke was on guard for. Gajeel walked up to Kyousuke as the latter proceeded to ask him a question.

"Does this stone have any special power?"

"It's a love stone."

"A love stone?" Kyousuke said in surprise. He was a bit shocked by that. "Why did you want to get it?"

"To keep it from power-hungry maniacs like the Xandolian Empire." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke handed him the stone upon request as Gajeel put it in his coat, ready to continue back to the base as Kyousuke wondered about the Xandolian Empire.

"What the hell is that?" Kyousuke wondered out-loud, pondering over the name until it was explained to him.

"They're an evil empire set on taking over the world and gaining total power." Sophia explained, just as Kyousuke thought deeper on the subject.

"It's always a power struggle, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's kind of cliché, but isn't power nice?"

"Good point." Kyousuke replied. Daniel decided to chime in on the conversation, explaining more on the Xandolian Empire.

"They've been after us for quite some time, not to mention they're desperate to eliminate us. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried ambushing us on the way back to the base." Daniel explained calmly. Stealth Overdrive must've done some serious work in order to rag up that much attention, especially from a group that would wield so much power. Kyousuke was a bit surprised by that initially, but then realized how it would make sense considering the group's widespread impact on the world. His tone became much more serious.

"As always, there's more to it than meets the eye." Kyousuke says calmly, surprising the other two. They looked at him curiously as Kyousuke turned to look at Gajeel, who was staring out into the world through the windshield. He had other things on his mind; he couldn't concern himself with explaining all the details when Kyousuke would find out anyways. Taking everything said previously and noting it, Kyousuke was ready to get moving with the next thing. "Alright, since that's done and over, what would our next task be?"

"Training." Gajeel said, announcing it as he turned around and focused his attention on the other three. Kyousuke looked at him surprised.

"Training?"

"Yeah. We're gonna take a day off and work on your skills. It's clear as day that you've got potential, and so you're gonna use it." Gajeel explained. He was insistent on finding out about Kyousuke's abilities, which Kyousuke initially refused to reveal. He'll have to explain them to the group at some point. As for now though, training was on his mind. Completing the mission was part one, now it's time for part two.


	4. Chapter 4: Training Fun

**A/N: I wanted to tell you all that this chapter is ridiculously long. It's the longest chapter I've ever written and I want to tell you now if you're wondering why this story has such a high word count for only containing four chapters. I've got a lot of stuff to put into these chapters, and the whole story will be missing pieces if I try to rush it, so please understand. If you enjoy reading longer chapters, great!**

 **Enjoy :)**

Chapter 4: Training Fun

Training day is what today could be called. After successfully finishing the mission yesterday, the group made it back to the base and decided to rest and start making plans for their next mission, which they would take after training day. Today, however, gave the group a chance to sharpen their skills and see what Kyousuke was _really made of_. This time he got up at around 7:30 in the morning, heading out of his room and into the kitchen immediately as he came across Gajeel, who happened to get there first. He was the only one in the kitchen, and surprisingly enough he made breakfast.

"First time someone has ever beaten me up." Kyousuke said coming into the kitchen. Gajeel just continued to focus on cooking. Kyousuke noticed that he made a full-sized breakfast for the group, which surprised him quite a bit.

"You cooked all this?"

"Yeah. If you weren't here I'd be the only one who gets up this early. Today is a training day so you better eat up." Gajeel explained. He was always focused on the task at hand, which showed how hard of a worker he was. The fact that Gajeel prepared this whole breakfast for the group really surprised Kyousuke though. He had always been independent and always did everything on his own, at least considering what he can remember about his childhood. Perhaps Gajeel unknowingly hit Kyousuke in a soft spot, but nevertheless Kyousuke was thankful.

"Well...thanks." Kyousuke said thankfully, walking up to the counter and taking his seat as he glanced over the available options. There were breakfast sausages, eggs, and pancakes (most likely for Daniel). Kyousuke grabbed an available plate and got his share, asking Gajeel questions whilst doing so.

"Well you're not wearing your uniform today."

"I don't need it. Today's a training day and I get sick of wearing that thing 24/7." Gajeel explained. Instead he was wearing a black attire with beige pants instead [his X791 outfit]. Eventually Gajeel finished up and got some iron to eat with the breakfast he made, sitting down at the counter as Kyousuke watched him.

"Since today is about training, what are we gonna work on first?"

"We'll start with calisthenics and move on from there. Then we're gonna see what you're made of." Gajeel explained, popping his knuckles in the process. The way he expressed that was quite imposing in a way, but he was very insistent on finding out more about Kyousuke's strength. Underneath that calm exterior was a fighting spirit that was willing to go to the borderline edge in order to get the most gratifying experience, and Kyousuke would be quite surprised when encountering that for himself. To steer clear of the topic for a moment, Kyousuke brought up something else. This was something important, yet questioning.

"I know I'm new to the group, but Sophia said you've been through a lot of crap lately." Kyousuke said calmly. Gajeel looked at him perplexed, yet it was somehow endowed in a defensive manner.

"Yeah, and what about it?" He asked, wondering as Kyousuke went on.

"I was just wondering because I can't say my life has been great." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel didn't seem surprised nor disappointed, he was very calm about it. He continued to eat his breakfast as he answered Kyousuke's question.

"Yeah there's been bull crap we've had to deal with before, but that's nothing you need to worry about." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke nodded his head but felt quite annoyed on the inside.

" _But I need to know!"_ He thought to himself in frustration. At that exact moment, Gajeel shot him a serious look, surprising Kyousuke as the latter looked back at him in question. They stared at each other for a few seconds, picking up on each other's energies and feelings before breaking eye-contact. Gajeel then finished his breakfast and proceeded to wash his dish. As he did so, Kyousuke was overwhelmed with shock over the occurrence that just took place. It was like Gajeel read his mind, if that was possible. " _What the hell was that? Did I telepathically communicate with him?"_ Kyousuke thought to himself in shock. His energy resonated with Gajeel in perfect sync at that moment in time, and it was enough to put Kyousuke into a state of confusion. The more he knew Gajeel, the more potent their connection became.

Before Kyousuke could delve any further into it, however, Sophia suddenly came out the door and into the kitchen. Kyousuke, noticing that she came out before Daniel again, concluded that Daniel will always sleep in regardless of the circumstances. Sophia, after rubbing her eyes and waking up, noticed the food that Gajeel prepared and happily ran to the counter.

"Nice!" She simply shouted, grabbing her share as she thanked Gajeel and dove in. She was quick to talk with Kyousuke.

"Be lucky that you get to eat this; Gajeel doesn't cook much and when he does, he actually knows what he's doing." Sophia explained as Kyousuke nodded in response.

"Does Daniel cook?"

"Yeah, but his food is…" Sophia explained, becoming filled with disgust in the process, "absolutely horrible. I like Daniel as a person, but his cooking sucks!" Sophia explained. Gajeel jumped in on it too, and this only confirmed it.

"He almost set the base on fire trying to serve me a burnt steak, and he ruined my iron by liquefying it." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke looked at them surprised.

"Wow, his cooking is really that bad?"

"Yes." Both Gajeel and Sophia say in sync. Sophia then continued on with her meal, savoring every bite for this opportunity was a rare one. Kyousuke finished up with his meal, deciding to leave the rest for Daniel as he got up and washed his dishes, of course after Gajeel left the sink and went to his room to tidy up some things. After Kyousuke cleaned his dish and put it away, he sat back down at the counter as Sophia asked him more questions.

"So then, what are some of your hobbies?" She asked. Kyousuke thought about it for a bit before replying.

"I like to design my own weapons, practice martial arts, work on vehicles and compose music."

"You're into making music? That's funny because Gajeel was real big on the musician thing you know." Sophia explained. She was so willing to go off on a mystical trail of words with Kyousuke; it was strange how she and Daniel fought so much. "He used to play the guitar and stuff, and _sometimes_ he was really good. A lot of the time though I just couldn't take him seriously." She explained as her tone slowly became more sorrow. "But now, he never does it anymore. To be honest, sometimes everything feels completely dead, and it's because of the bull crap we've been through." Sophia explained. By listening to her, Kyousuke thought that he might be able to find out more about Gajeel through Sophia, since Gajeel would probably not tell him much right away, if ever.

"Like what bull crap?" Kyousuke questioned discreetly, secretly prying into the info as Sophia didn't seem reluctant to give it to him.

"Oh, just crap with our recruits and enemies. Some of it involves our group being broken up by people who betrayed us, and they've used our feelings against each other. It wasn't easy for Gajeel to just take it because he can get violent easily." Sophia explained calmly. Hearing that made Kyousuke reflect back on the issues he had to face back at Mega Dawn, a place he was glad to be away from. He wanted to know more about the group so he could understand it and feel like he was at home with these people, especially Gajeel. He pondered over it, but soon forgot about it as the next task was quickly presenting itself.

Sleepily arriving from his room, Daniel came in and noticed how breakfast was already made.

"Wow, breakfast is made. Who made it?" He asked curiously. Sophia was pleased that he wasn't the one who cooked.

"Gajeel did. Unlike you, he actually knows how to cook."

"Okay jeez. I was just wondering." Daniel said sleepily, heading in and getting his breakfast. Kyousuke looked at him with inner skepticism.

" _I want to see if his food is as bad as they proclaim it to be."_ Kyousuke thought to himself. Considering the disgust Sophia displayed and how Gajeel was quick to agree, it must've been pretty bad. Watching as Daniel got his share and took a seat, Kyousuke got up and decided to leave, heading off to somewhere else.

"Where are you going?" Sophia asked curiously, having noticed Kyousuke leaving the room.

"To my room to prepare for training." Kyousuke replied, heading into his room as he got his stuff and got ready. It was going to be an interesting day for sure.

* * *

Later on, at around 10:00 in the morning, the group had met down in a gymnasium the base had stored as well. It was directly opposite of the elevator that led down to the hangar, so it was quite easy to find. The gymnasium was quite strange however; it had various equipment lying about along with various obstacle courses, not to mention courts for sports like soccer and tennis.

"Do you have to pay for all of this?" Kyousuke wondered in surprise as Sophia was quick to answer.

"Nope. This base has been payed off so there's nothing to worry about." She explained. She seemed to be quite excited about the session taking place, jumping around as her energetic self was coming out. The only one with a change in attire was Gajeel, who was as usual, the instructor for this session. Getting used to him being the leader wouldn't be a problem for Kyousuke, considering that Gajeel actually knew what the hell he was doing. Many teachers back at Mega Dawn let the students go off and out of control, or they were too controlling and this resulted in Kyousuke rebelling. Nevertheless, the group stood around as Gajeel prepared to give instructions.

"Alright, listen up! We're gonna start off with introducing this guy," *pointing to Kyousuke*,"here to our routine." Gajeel explained. He was holding a large, silver ball. By doing so he unintentionally invoked curiosity within Kyousuke.

"Okay, so what's the ball for?" Kyousuke questioned, prompting Gajeel to launch it at Kyousuke and send him flying. It was a surprisingly heavy ball, for the momentum it contained was enough to send Kyousuke flying into the ground. Kyousuke was quickly sent into a state of shock.

"What the hell is this thing supposed to be, a giant iron shot put?"

"In a way…" Sophia said in response as the group gathered around Kyousuke. They were all focused on the large iron ball, watching as it surprised Kyousuke by morphing into a large mass of blue electricity. The group was sent into surprise as Kyousuke's power was revealed, to his dismay.

" _Well well, I wasn't expecting that."_ Kyousuke thought to himself surprised. His power was revealed and there was nothing he could do about it. Gajeel grabbed the mass of electricity with a "plucking" fashion instead of completely grabbing it so that the mass wouldn't revert back into an iron ball.

"This thing's called an iMPD. It picks up on your magic energy and transforms into it." Gajeel explained. Knowing that, Gajeel realized that Kyousuke controlled electricity. Strangely enough, he also noticed ripples within the electricity that were in the shape of dragons, further surprising him. Gajeel realized that Kyousuke was also a Dragon Slayer. However, instead of immediately pointing it out, he kept silent and continued on. With that, he tossed the mass to Daniel, who caught it and accidentally electrocuted himself as Gajeel turned and headed off to another area within the gym. Kyousuke and Sophia both followed him as Daniel somehow managed to convert the mass into his own magic energy and dispose of the iMPD without unintentionally destroying anything.

As Kyousuke walked with the group to the other area, he couldn't help but notice a peculiar observance that he somehow missed earlier: a black Fairy Tail guild mark on Gajeel's left shoulder. How it got there was unknown to Kyousuke, but it put him into a state of bewilderment. Never had he expected to find something like such on the shoulder of the very person he had been contemplating over the past few days. Like Gajeel did with Kyousuke's magic abilities, Kyousuke kept quiet on the matter and decided to bring it up later when the other two weren't around. Seeing that emblem allowed for the rise of many questions that would poke at him continuously throughout the day.

Putting that aside, the group managed to get to an area within the gym that resembled something akin to stations one would go through during a workout. Daniel eventually caught up with the group after finding a way to deal with the iMPD and was ready to continue on with the training session. Gajeel began explaining what they were going to do next.

"First off, we're gonna start with the obstacle course. You want to complete it as fast as you can; a faster time shows improvement and build of strength. Daniel can start us off by going first." Gajeel explained as Daniel shrugged his shoulders.

"Of course, I'm first as usual." Daniel said, walking up to the beginning of the obstacle course.

It started off with a 10 m runway with various traps and obstacles one would have to dodge such as darts and trap doors, heading left and following with several wooden dummies (a total of 7) one would have to defeat with hand-to-hand combat skills. After that, heading down in the same direction was a shooting range with three targets, the goal being that one must hit the bulls-eye on all three targets as quickly as possible. Heading left again whilst forming a circle, the course lead into an area that (surprisingly) tests cognitive ability and speed by forcing one to decipher how to break through the various door by hacking into systems and locks. Lastly, heading back to the start of the obstacle course and completing the circle was a test of speed, forcing one to run as fast as possible without being hit by a large, swinging punching bag that would ultimately cost them ten seconds if they were hit by it.

After having observed the course, Kyousuke set his focus on Daniel as he prepared to demonstrate.

"It looks interesting." Kyousuke said calmly, Sophia agreeing.

"Just wait until you do it yourself; it's much more fun." Sophia explained.

With that, Gajeel pulled out a pistol and fired it into the air, initiating the timer and prompting Daniel to take off. Flying through the first section of the course, Daniel rolled, jumped, and flipped through every obstacle. He jumped over trap doors, rolled under darts, and jumped over lasers passing by. Successfully passing through the 10 m section in 17 seconds, he headed off towards the dummies and took them down with various hand-to-hand combat techniques. These included round-house kicks, back fists, back handspring techniques and sweep kicks to top it off. After taking 12 seconds to defeat the dummies, he ran off towards the shooting range and quickly pulled out a pistol. Aiming it at the first target, he shot a bulls-eye, following with the second and third targets without much effort. Following that, after taking up nine seconds, he headed off towards the cognitive area, which would most likely take up a large quantity of his time. He pulled out his yellow beam, planning on using it as he observes the puzzle he has to solve. This puzzle shows a keypad next to a locked door, the door he must pass through, next to a key that could also open the door. The trick here was that he must properly determine the actual route into the door, for if he incorrectly solved the puzzle, he would've "activated a security alert" and cost himself 20 seconds onto his total time, including the time he took up during the process of solving it. Daniel observed the door as he thought of multiple ways to get access to the door.

" _Well the door has a handle, and it doesn't allow for much versatility when locked, so it couldn't possibly be the keypad. The keypad also contains a camera, which will detect me as an intruder and revoke access inside."_ Daniel thought to himself. Using these details, he stashed his beam away and decided to use some of his own magic. "Alright, here goes." He said calmly, appearing to pull something out of his mouth. Kyousuke's expression quickly turned into disgust as Daniel regurgitated yellow acid that he formulated into a key, which he would use to gain access into the door. "That's it, open up nice and easy." Daniel said to himself as he put the key to use.

Upon opening the door, it turned out that he had successfully determined the solution to the puzzle and no time was added onto his final time. Having taken up 24 seconds to solve the puzzle, Daniel turned and sprinted down the runway, making it all the way back to Gajeel and the others while just barely missed the swinging punching bag. It took him five seconds to do that, and that left him with a total time that was displayed on an electronic scoreboard in the gym. His final time was one minute and seven seconds. Sophia was a bit impressed for once.

"Wow, you actually beat my time." Sophia said in surprise. Unfortunately for her, Daniel used her comment in order to get back at her.

"And I'm the one that's so problematic?" Daniel questions. This only prompted Sophia to retort through the use of argumentation.

"Alright, you never get up on time, your cooking is absolutely horrible and…" She goes on as the two argue. As they did, Kyousuke decided to do the obstacle course himself, walking up to Gajeel and asking him about it.

"So we just walk up to the start of the course and everything will be set?"

"Yeah. I'll reset the timer for you so you can post your first record." Gajeel explained. Knowing that, Kyousuke walked to the start as Gajeel pulled out a device that resembled a wristwatch, punching in various commands in order to reset the course for Kyousuke. He then noticed that Daniel and Sophia were still arguing, which annoyed him a bit. "Hey, quit your bickering! We've got a competitor up here." Gajeel demanded, getting the group to focus their attention on Kyousuke, who started off by examining the course. His eyes followed it from start to finish, soon returning back to the start as he prepared to take off.

Gajeel pulled out his pistol again and fired, initiating the timer and prompting Kyousuke to start. He came across darts that were being shot across the runway, lasers that would slowly glide just above his feet, and trapdoors he could easily fall into. Knowing of the calamity he could get himself into, Kyousuke quickly deduced that simply running through it all would not be a safe option.

" _It looks like I'll have to get creative."_ Kyousuke thought to himself calmly. Knowing that, he did multiple front handsprings, along with other various tricks in order to avoid all the obstacles, finalizing it by doing a front-flip over the last trap door. He came across a laser that was about to hit him, and in response he slid under it and managed to dodge it. Passing through that section in 14 seconds, he quickly headed off towards the dummies and used hand-to-hand combat. It should be noted that the use of magic power here was not allowed for it would make the course too easy. Having had to fight for his life before, fighting a few dummies should be a piece of cake. He focused more on punches rather than kicks, however, being able to deliver a buildup of tension with various punches before finalizing the attack with a kick. He wasn't much faster though, taking 13 seconds as he headed off towards the shooting range. Here Kyousuke quickly drew a pistol and fired about, hitting the bulls-eye on all three within four seconds. He quickly stormed off to the cognitive area, which as noted before, is the most time consuming of the obstacles. It changed this time, now being a collection of nine different colored buttons that Kyousuke must press in the correct order in order to properly pass through the door. One button would flash yellow and the others would flash green and red, and they would change in a certain order before repeating that same order over again. Kyousuke, realizing that the yellow button was the only colored button that had been singled out, pressed the buttons in the order that the buttons flashed yellow. Without the use of any magic power, he was able to properly get through the obstacle without costing himself another 20 seconds, instead taking about 19 to complete it. Continuing onto the last bit, he quickly sprinted down the runway in four seconds, missing the punching bag and completing the course.

He was breathing a little heavy, but that quickly ended and his result was displayed on the leaderboard above. His time was 54 seconds, putting the group into a state of shock and surprise.

"Wow, you must be naturally talented or something." Sophia said as Kyousuke looked at her surprised. Daniel was shocked himself, but tried to play it off as if he knew it was coming.

"I knew this would happen." Daniel said calmly, provoking a response from Sophia.

"Yeah whatever! That look on your face proves you're lying!" Sophia shouted as the two got into an argument once again. As they argued, Kyousuke's attention was shifted to Gajeel as the latter patted him on the shoulder, being proud of his achievement. A grin appeared on his face as a result.

"Nice job. It turns out that I was right on picking you for the team." Gajeel explained, surprising Kyousuke as he looked up at him in surprise. Why did these words affect him so much? Perhaps it was because he wasn't used to growing up in an environment where one would be praised for his accomplishments, but nevertheless it made him feel good. He felt appreciated, and that's what made him happy.

"Thanks." Kyousuke said in response, keeping it nice and short. Surprisingly enough, Gajeel wasn't going to run through the course himself and had already set his sights on the next thing in mind. Noticing Sophia and Daniel arguing again, he became easily annoyed and did something about it.

"Quit your arguing!" Gajeel demanded with surprisingly no response. The two continued to argue despite Gajeel's command and this only prompted him to set things straight, immediately attacking with his Iron Dragon's Club and grabbing the two by their outfits. "Hey! What did I tell you about arguing in the gym?"

"Ugh...nothing." Daniel said in response, causing Sophia to face-palm and Gajeel to respond by slamming the two against each other before dropping them.

"Argue again and I'll make sure you keep your mouths shut."

"Alright, alright...no need to get so forceful." Daniel said in response as Gajeel observed the two. He looked up to see Kyousuke chuckling, nearly laughing out-loud at what just happened.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Sometimes you two act like children, and it's amusing how Gajeel treats you the way you act." Kyousuke explained, chuckling some more as Sophia got easily annoyed.

"I am not childish! It's this full-blown idiot over here that is the child."

"Well we know how long this is going to take." Kyousuke said to himself as the two argue again. As they argued, Kyousuke noticed Gajeel temporarily leaving to get sports equipment for the next thing they were going to do, which surprised him somewhat. "What's Gajeel doing?" Kyousuke wondered as Sophia quickly chimed in and temporarily stopped fighting.

"He's getting equipment for one of our competitions. Before with just the three of us, one had to be the referee and the other two would play against each other. It gets boring because Gajeel is too powerful and wins constantly, so we have to set up the game in which the winner has to sit out and let the other play. It's alright at first, but gets boring quickly. Thinking about that, he must be interested in it since now that you're here, we can play against each other in teams of two." Sophia explained, getting Kyousuke interested in it. Suddenly, one of the available courts transformed into a dodgeball arena, and it wasn't long before Gajeel got back to the group and decided to get things ready.

"Alright, Kyousuke can be on my team while you two can team up. We'll play…" Gajeel started to explain before he was immediately met with disagreement.

"Come on…" Daniel said in frustration, "You two will destroy us. You've got to balance things out better."

"You've got a problem with it or something?" Gajeel questioned sternly. Kyousuke intervened though, taking Daniel's side on the matter.

"Well he has a point Gajeel. We're both very good and very competitive, so why not have it as me and Sophia vs. you and Daniel. Besides, you would probably get bored if it was too easy." Kyousuke explained. Sophia became annoyed over the assumption that they thought she wasn't a challenge, but it quickly passed over. Gajeel thought about it for a bit and agreed to it, wanting a challenge to keep him interested. Without the intensity, it would not be worth the fight. Knowing that, he decided to team up with Daniel as Sophia teamed up with Kyousuke, and with that the two groups got ready to play.

This is how the game would work: various dodgeballs would fall from the air onto the ground, allowing for the people who have legal access to it (the balls on their court) to use it and hit the other teams. Because there's only two members available, a point system was implemented in order to keep things in line. When a member gets hit with a dodgeball, it'll cost them ten points and they'll have to sit out for ten seconds. When they are the one that hits the opponent, they get ten points and continue to play regardless. If they catch the ball when it's thrown at them, the team that caught the ball scores fifteen points and immediately forces the other team to sit out. Scoring points is based on the subtraction of the other teams points, so if team one has 20 points and they hit a member of team two who has 30 points, team one will have 30 points and team two will have 20. Furthermore, if the team has zero points and is hit, they will not go into the negatives but simply remain at zero. The team with the most points at the end of a 15 minute round is the winner. One can use dodgeballs to block incoming dodgeballs, but if one uses part of the physical body to touch it or block it, it is immediately counted as a hit for the other team and they must sit out for ten seconds.

Having a clear understanding of the rules, the two teams got into position as the countdown timer went off.

"Five...four...three...two...one...begin game." It announced. Upon finalizing, Daniel hastily acted and took a dodgeball, immediately chucking it at Kyousuke in the hopes of getting him out first. However, Kyousuke caught the ball and rendered the attempt useless, gaining fifteen points for the team and ultimately eliminating Daniel. Team K&S now has fifteen points while Team G&D has none.

"Oh crap...my bad." Daniel said as he slowly walked off the court.

"Ugh, you moron." Gajeel said annoyed, ready to compete himself as the game continued. Sophia grabbed a ball herself and planned on discreetly taking Gajeel down, for he was too focused on Kyousuke as the latter moved to his right side of the court. Sophia then launched the dodgeball at Gajeel, who caught it himself and tied his team with Kyousuke's.

"Really? You must be joking." Sophia said annoyed as Gajeel simply grinned, prompting Sophia to walk off and take her time out. Kyousuke continued playing against Gajeel as Gajeel decided to hit Kyousuke, only for Kyousuke to just barely dodge it.

"Damn, that was quick." Kyousuke said in surprise, taking note that Gajeel has some real power behind those throws. Daniel came back in and Kyousuke took the opportunity to take him down, only for Daniel to grab a dodgeball and block the incoming projectile.

"Nice try." Daniel simply said, teaming up with Gajeel as the two launch their dodgeballs against Kyousuke. Unfortunately for Kyousuke, the two covered a large area within Kyousuke's court with those two throws, so Kyousuke's only option was to block it. He grabbed a dodgeball and managed to block Daniel's, but didn't have enough time to stop Gajeel's and was ultimately hit in the end.

"Damn." Kyousuke said in surprise, now noticing that the other team was 20 points ahead. He switched out places with Sophia as the latter continued their game, ultimately grabbing a dodgeball and taking out Daniel for him being an easy target.

"Dammit!" Daniel said annoyed, walking off and leaving it to Gajeel and Sophia. Being tied with Gajeel, she had to think of a strategy to get past him or she too would be destroyed.

"He may have a lot of power, but I can distract him." Sophia thought to herself cunningly. She had a plan, and put it into action by running to the other side of the court. However, Gajeel was just too quick, and her plan was instantly thwarted when he hit her before she could even initiate it.

"Didn't think that was going to happen, did you?" Gajeel questioned with a grin on his face, frustrating Sophia even more as Kyousuke returned to the court along with Daniel. Now behind Team G&D again by 20 points, Kyousuke was back at stage one, ready to continue as he grabbed a dodgeball and put himself far behind. If they had to hit him within a greater distance, they would have more difficulty. Perhaps for Daniel this would be true, but this was only proved ineffective with Gajeel for when he attempted to take Kyousuke out, he had the same results as previously demonstrated.

"How are you this good?" Kyousuke questioned curiously, focusing on the match as he nearly dodged Daniel's dodgeball. Gajeel then got sidetracked and decided to explain.

"It's all right here." He said, patting his arm as he showed off strength. Unfortunately for him, he was too focused on the conversation and had his eyes closed temporarily, only to open them when getting hit by Kyousuke. Sophia and Daniel watched, jaw-dropped as Gajeel stood there wide-eyed. He had just been hit by a dodgeball early on in the game, something that rarely, if ever, happened. Kyousuke grinned in response. It wasn't long before Gajeel walked off the court in dismay, initially surprised at how Kyousuke got him. Daniel was in shock himself.

"No way, he got…" He said before being hit with a dodgeball too, just as Sophia had returned and took him out. Daniel looked at Sophia angrily. "Not again! Man...my luck is poor today." He said disappointed, returning to the timeout with Gajeel as Kyousuke high-fived Sophia. Their team was now 20 points ahead, ready to keep it that way as the other team returned to the court. The game started once again, and Gajeel took the game much more seriously. Starting off, Sophia once again tried to take out Daniel, which failed for Daniel was determined to not get hit by her. He launched a ball at Sophia and managed to take her out, sending her off the court as he focused on Kyousuke with Gajeel. Now that the teams were tied, Daniel became more relaxed. Kyousuke was determined to keep the lead against the other two, and took out Daniel. It was obvious as day that Daniel was the prime target within these matches, despite how much that annoyed him.

Currently in the court was just Gajeel and Kyousuke, and the former wasn't going to get hit again. Kyousuke launched a ball at him but it was instantly blocked with the dodgeball he was carrying. Gajeel watched as Kyousuke kept his focus on him, for Kyousuke knew that when he would turn his attention away from him, it would be game over. Keeping his attention on Gajeel, he slowly stepped back as Gajeel kept gaining up on him, noticing a ball in front of him out of the corner of his eye. Taking the chance, he launched forward as he went to grab the ball, just barely missing the dodgeball launched by Gajeel. Getting up and heading back, Kyousuke noticed that Gajeel took that short amount of time to get a dodgeball of his own, and now the two were in a standoff. To further complicate things, Sophia and Daniel returned to the court and equipped themselves with their own dodge balls, ready to take the other down. No one, not even Gajeel would be stupid enough to make the first shot, for it would be game over for their team. Unable to initiate, Kyousuke asked Sophia a question.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" He questioned as Sophia nodded.

"Yeah, let's take them both down on the count of three. One...two...three...NOW!" She yells, initiating as everyone fired. It was the most intense period of the match, as Sophia launched her dodgeball at Daniel who ducked and missed it. Daniel's ball, on the other-hand, missed Sophia when the latter bent down to the side and watched as it flew over her. Kyousuke's was flying towards Gajeel at high speed, but clearly missed him as the latter easily dodged it and launched his own at Kyousuke with absolutely impressive force.

"Oh shit." Kyousuke said in shock, unable to prevent the oncoming tragedy. Unfortunately for Kyousuke, he was hit by the ball. Being hit directly in the face, Kyousuke was pushed back a few feet by the destructive force of the dodgeball, being slammed into the ground as the ball rolled away and left a temporary impression on his face. He was utterly slaughtered by that hit, and only silence ensued for a few seconds before Sophia couldn't help but freak out in a panic.

"Holy shit! Are you okay?!" She shouted in shock, running up to him as Kyousuke just lied on the ground speechless. Daniel looked at Kyousuke and Gajeel with mixed emotions, unable to respond as Gajeel looked at Kyousuke in surprise. He was wondering if he may have overdid it, but doubted it considering Kyousuke's strength demonstrated many times before. This was proved to be true when Kyousuke suddenly burst into laughter, confusing everyone as they watched him perplexed. "Are...you really okay?" Sophia questioned in confusion, watching as Kyousuke got up and took a deep breath.

"My god Gajeel, that arm of yours packs a punch." Kyousuke said in surprise, covering his face as Gajeel couldn't help but chuckle. He packed a ton of power in that throw, and it seems that it was enough to send Kyousuke flying.

"Yeah, you're fine! Go and sit out of the court!" Gajeel said, watching as Kyousuke took his time out of the court. Sophia and Daniel couldn't help but wonder of the strange things that happened within the group.

"Oh dear. Well, you're team is now tied with us, and I'm NOT going to let that slide!" Sophia shouted in a rush, grabbing a ball as she prepared to take out Gajeel before being hit by Daniel. In shock, she dropped her ball and looked at Daniel, who was standing there with a smirk on his face.

"Payback sucks, doesn't it?" He questioned with a smirk on his face, prompting Sophia to stomp off angrily and take a time out. Now Team G&D was ten points ahead, and the game was suddenly over because of the 15 minute time limit.

The final score was Team K&S with five points and Team G&D with 25 points, making Team G&D the winner. Gajeel had a grin on his face and Daniel threw a fist in the air. The other two competitors came back onto the court in disappointment.

"Crap! I thought we could beat him for once." Sophia said in disappointment, focusing the attention on Gajeel for he was the reason behind their loss, at least to her. Kyousuke didn't seem too upset about it however.

"Yeah, well there's always next time. That is when we can beat him." Kyousuke said out-loud, prompting Gajeel to look at him intrigued. He wanted to test that, and was interested in finding out just how far Kyousuke was willing to go in order to beat him. Kyousuke, however, had another idea. "I wonder how he would do in an arm wrestle." Kyousuke thought out-loud. Sophia was quick to try to stop him on that regard.

"I don't think that's something you want to wager; if he was able to take you down with that much force, you better expect his arm strength to be no different." Sophia explained. Gajeel, however, seemed insistent on the idea.

"We're gonna arm wrestle, and you're gonna lose." Gajeel taunted, prompting Kyousuke to accept the challenge. However, they set the challenge to take place later at night, so they could continue with training for now.

* * *

Eventually, it was late at night, and the group had finished their training session. After having played a few more games and having built up more strength, the group was now taking the rest of the day off. Daniel was in the living room playing video games as Sophia sat next to him and read a book. It was a book on galactic constellations and the cosmic sciences involved in them, such as astrology and astronomy. However, her focus on the book was easily destroyed for outer forces proved to be a greater distraction. The biggest distraction was Gajeel and Kyousuke's arm wrestle, to which Kyousuke was surprisingly struggling. Wearing reading glasses, she temporarily took them off and turned to see Kyousuke struggling against Gajeel desperately, wondering how he could be at a loss of strength.

"How the hell are you this strong? They say my technique is on par with you and yet I can't beat you in an arm wrestle?"

"It ain't that easy. Like I said, it's all in here," *patting his arm again*, "and that's from a lot of training and fighting. You've got a long way to go." Gajeel explained, only frustrating Kyousuke more as his attempts continued to fail. The struggle Kyousuke went through during the match was enough to drain practically anyone of their strength, but Kyousuke was determined to win. Even over a simple arm contest Kyousuke was determined to win. However, his efforts were futile, and Sophia herself even knew this.

"I tried to warn you Kyousuke, Gajeel isn't all show."

"Yeah, but it seems unrealistic!" Kyousuke shouted in disbelief, prompting Gajeel to further the struggle by easily beating Kyousuke. Upon pushing his arm down and winning the game, he let Kyousuke relax his arm and regain his strength. Kyousuke had a much better chance at first but his persistence weakened his strength and he couldn't keep up for much longer. Kyousuke wiped off the sweat from his face as Gajeel watched in amusement.

"You did well, but not good enough to beat me." Gajeel said in response, getting up as he prepared to leave. Kyousuke looked at him in surprise, unable to comprehend how he could just beat him and take off.

"Wha...wait! Where are you going?" Kyousuke questioned in surprise. Gajeel turned and looked back at him.

"I'm heading in for the night. Tomorrow we've got another mission, so you better be ready by 7:30 A.M." Gajeel responded, heading back into the hallway and heading into his room. Before he went out of sight however, Kyousuke quickly ran into the hallway and followed him, catching his attention as he turned and looked back at Kyousuke surprised. "What is it?" Gajeel questioned. Kyousuke had a determined look on his face, so naturally he assumed that Kyousuke wanted to continue on with the arm wrestle. "I'm not arm wrestling you anymore. We've got a mission tomorrow and…"

"It's not that." Kyousuke said, silencing as he thought about what he was going to say. Gajeel looked at him perplexed.

"Yeah, then what is it?" Gajeel questioned. Kyousuke thought about it, but had trouble putting it into the right words. He wanted to say something nice, but in a way that wouldn't make him cringe. Eventually, he was able to say something akin to what he meant.

"I just wanted to say…thanks for the good time. I needed it." Kyousuke said calmly. He kept silent after that, noticing how Gajeel's expression quickly turned to that of surprise. To think that Kyousuke of all people would personally thank him for something so simple. Gajeel had never been thanked in such a way, but being thanked perplexed him more than it did warm him. Why did Kyousuke say that?

"Yeah." Gajeel simply stated, heading into his room as he contemplated what Kyousuke said. Kyousuke watched him in surprise, remembering his expression vividly, like he had a photographic memory. The expression was painted so clear that it would be the image he would see for ages now. Upon Gajeel leaving, Kyousuke returned back out to the living room, sitting on the couch next to Sophia as the latter took off her reading glasses once again and wondered about his intents.

"So, what were you doing back there?" Sophia asked curiously. The way she asked it was surrounded in that tone that said, "Oh I know you were doing something," and Kyousuke immediately brushed it off.

"It was nothing. I was just thanking him, that's all." Kyousuke responded. Sophia thought there was more to it and insisted on digging it out of him.

"So then…what for? You don't have to hide it."

"Hide what? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah you do, you're just afraid of telling me, aren't you?"

"Ugh...no. Why would I? I just think he's a good friend, that's all." Kyousuke said in response. His stubbornness was enough to stop Sophia from trying to pry in on the details, which prompted her to go into detail about how Gajeel typically is during these types of situations.

"Gajeel's not...the most expressive. He cares, yes, but he doesn't show it in a way that would be obvious to most. He'll occasionally do nice things and help out for reasons unknown, but he does care, and he does a lot of work trying to keep everything together. I guess I'm just trying to push your relationship with him because he goes through a lot of bullshit that he doesn't need to go through."

"Like what?" Kyousuke questioned. Sophia seemed reluctant to go into the details, but gave a little bit of information on the topic.

"Well, he lost someone that meant a lot to him a while ago, and other members that he's tried recruiting have treated him like crap for pathetic reasons. He also has to deal with lies being spread about our group and keeps ourselves away from the harm of possible persecution. I'm not going to go into the details, but it's affected him considering that he's become more reclusive and wants to be alone more often than before." Sophia explained. Kyousuke felt bad, knowing how being treated like crap is upsetting. He couldn't really sympathize with the loss of a partner however, for he never had one in the first place. Hearing it all and deciding that was enough for the night, Kyousuke decided to head out. He said goodnight and headed to his room. The thoughts that surrounded Gajeel kept seamlessly flowing through his head, and he had no way to control it. It did make him think, however, and it helped him understand why building a relationship would not only cure his own pain, but possibly Gajeel's as well. Kyousuke didn't know where to start however.

"Well, I better get ready for tomorrow. Got a mission to do."


	5. Chapter 5: Mission Overhaul

Chapter 5: Mission Overhaul

 **A/N: I put a poll for your favorite member of Stealth Overdrive on my profile page. Please vote so I know who you like best! Thanks!**

The second mission, that's what this day was going to be about. As before, Kyousuke got up first. Well, he woke up at this point in time. He had just woken up from a strange dream involving him and the team solving various missions, along with the addition of an unknown member to the team, someone Kyousuke had never known of. Kyousuke sat up in his bed thinking about it; the strangest thing was that the new member was someone Gajeel liked very much. The dream had ended with a picture being taken of the three together, but in Kyousuke's dream, the third, unknown person was greyed out. That was all he could remember, besides the growth of his relationship with Gajeel, but of course he would remember that.

"That was a weird dream." Kyousuke said to himself perplexed. He stretched and sat in bed for a few more minutes, wondering why he would have such a strange dream. He would hang out with Gajeel in the dream, who would hang out with this unknown person that was greyed out. Every time Kyousuke made contact with this unknown person, he felt normal. There was a connection, but he couldn't make anything up of it because he had no idea who the person was. The only thing he could garner was that he was good friends with Gajeel and had a rather bulky appearance. "This person...who the hell is he?" Kyousuke said to himself in wonder. He thought about who it might possibly be for a few minutes, but nothing rang.

Kyousuke also remembered that he had a mission today, so he decided to put it aside and get ready for the mission. He got dressed into his long-black coat and attire, proceeding to head out of his room into the kitchen. It was quiet as usual during this time since it was so early. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, until he opened the door leading into the kitchen. As he did, he continued walking until immediately stopping upon the sight of a group of people, soldiers specifically, inside the base. They were all attired in silver armor and had helmets on, aiming their weapons at Kyousuke as he looked at them in confusion.

"Drop your weapon!" One of the soldiers commanded, to no avail. Kyousuke didn't respond as requested, instead wondering why they were there in the first place.

"Ugh, who the hell are you?"

"I said DROP YOUR WEAPON!" The soldier commanded. This only prompted Kyousuke to back away and slam the door shut. Upon doing so, the soldiers took fire and the residing peace was quickly ruined. Seconds later, the rest of the team came rushing out of their rooms, Sophia being the first as Gajeel and Daniel followed afterwards.

"What the hell is going on?!" Sophia shouted in shock as Kyousuke held the door shut.

"I don't know! I was getting up for our mission and all the sudden a bunch of soldiers with silver armor showed up at the base!"

"What?!" Sophia shouted in shock. Suddenly, the noise stopped and one of the soldiers yelled out an explanation as the group listened.

"You have been arrested for property infringement and theft by the Xandolian Empire. Come out here and put your hands up immediately!" The soldier yelled, putting the group into a state of bafflement.

"How did they find us here?!" Sophia questioned, just as Daniel wondered the same.

"I don't know, but we better get them out of here or our place is gonna be toast." Daniel said in frustration. Gajeel decided to do something about it, pulling out a hand-grenade and removing the pin.

"Open the door!" Gajeel ordered. Kyousuke quickly opened the door and Gajeel chucked the grenade into the room, witnessing it explode as Kyousuke shut the door. They would've taken out a good deal of soldiers with that blast, but heading back in there would be risky without the proper equipment. Gajeel was quick to give out the orders in this situation. "Alright, engage in Operation ETD!" He commanded, prompting the group to head into their rooms and equip their arsenal. Unfortunately for them, leaving the main-hallway door unchecked allowed for the soldiers to get access inside.

"Alright, scavenge the area for anything you can find." The lead soldier ordered, prompting the other soldiers to search the area. It wasn't long before they realized that the doors were locked.

"The doors are locked sir!"

"Open fire on the doors!" The lead soldier commanded, prompting four soldiers to surround the four doors leading into the rooms. "Fire in three...two…" The lead soldier said. His plan was quickly thwarted when Gajeel knocked the guy next to his door out with his own door, pulling out a pistol and taking out the other three soldiers. The lead soldier immediately fired upon lock-on when seeing Gajeel, using bullets as his form of ammo. However, this proved ineffective as Gajeel was able to take every shot with ease, not being damaged by a single bullet, thanks to his Iron Dragon Slayer magic. Gajeel only grinned as a result, using his Iron Dragon's Club to instantly take the leader out before heading back into his room.

In every room there was an emergency chute, so the group went down their own chutes and met up in a closed-off location within the hangar.

"Gajeel, you made it." Sophia said in relief, taking deep breaths as the group stood around. They quickly got down to formulating a strategy.

"What are we going to do about these freaks for soldiers?" Daniel wondered, more concerned about the condition of the base than the soldier's actual infiltration. Gajeel, however, knew what they were here for.

"Let's get something clear: they ain't here to arrest us." Gajeel explained, shocking the others.

"What the hell makes you say that?" Sophia questioned in disbelief. Kyousuke, however, caught onto what he meant.

"They're after the stones!"

"The stones?!" Daniel said in shock. Sophia was put into a more stressful state.

"You've got to be kidding me." She said stressfully. Gajeel took command once again.

"Alright, don't get your panties in a twist. We've got intruders scanning and searching every area within the base. If we want to get to them, we're gonna have to split up." Gajeel explained. From there, he gave out instructions to the rest of the group based on a plan he formulated just for this occasion. "Alright, Sophia can handle the intruders getting into the hangar. Daniel can get into the living room and prevent access into the gym." Gajeel explained, sending them off as Kyousuke stayed behind with Gajeel.

"Well then, what am I going to do?"

"You're gonna help me stop them from getting the stones." Gajeel said, opening a vent that led to the area with the stones. After having done so, the two went into the vent and quickly crawled their way to the stones.

On the other-hand, Sophia was quick to the hangar and realized that she was slowly being surrounded by soldiers. They too demanded that she dropped her weapon, but as expected, she was reluctant to.

"You don't really think I'm going to do that, do you?"

"I said…" The soldier demanded before Sophia did a sweep kick and took him out. They were quick to fire and immediately aimed to hit her not with bullets this time, but with a white solution that would restrain her. She dodged it in time and quickly drew a pistol, taking down each soldier with pin-point accuracy. That's what training does for people. Shifting her focus onto the next two soldiers who approached her, she did a front handspring whilst quickly twisting around and doing a back handspring, using the force of gravity to her advantage and kicking the two soldiers out of commission. Pushing herself back up, she was too slow to stop a soldier from ensnaring her arm within the white substance.

" _Dammit."_ She thought to herself frustrated, watching as the soldier that got her slowly walked up to her.

"Drop the weapon immediately!" He demanded while approaching closer. She just looked at him annoyed. Eventually he got close enough to be able to take the gun for himself, but that wouldn't be happening.

"Idiot." She said disappointed, doing a round-house kick and using the white substance to swing the soldier around, tossing him off of her. Using her other arm, she pulled out her beam and cut through the substance, removing as much of it as she could before more soldiers appeared. She couldn't get all of it off and immediately took off when more soldiers fired the same substance at her. The soldiers also took off after her, but they couldn't catch up for she was too fast.

"I've got to figure out a way to stop them from snatching the stones!" She said to herself in frustration. The situation she was in though easily prevented her from figuring out a solution, and that's the difficulty she'll have to overcome.

Daniel, on the other hand, returned to the kitchen where the grenade was detonated. When he first arrived, there were soldiers dead, but that's all. The place was destroyed, but that could be easily repaired, much to Daniel's dismay.

"Ah crap. If it weren't for these guys trying to 'arrest us', we would be in good shape." Daniel said to himself calmly. He roamed through the kitchen and living room, observing the state everything was in before turning around and came across a peculiar sight.

"Uh...who the hell are you?" Daniel questioned, standing before a strange, alien-like figure. It was covered in red skin with white particles floating within the skin, along with white eyes that were shaped like downward-pointing arrows.

"That is not your concern." It tells Daniel. Its voice was deep and soaked within a connotation of evil. His presence was domineering as it was, and Daniel assumed that he was probably the one behind this invasion.

"I think it is my concern, especially when it's my place that you decide to invade." Daniel explained, only to receive a careless response in return.

"Is that so? Well it's not worth much anyway, especially when you cretins are the ones inhabiting it."

"The only cretin here is you, especially when you look like that." Daniel retorted. Eventually the creature became impatient and decided to head off to continue his mission.

"I don't have time for this. Go to your pathetic teammates and come up with a plan to stop me, at the least." The thing tells Daniel. However, Daniel dismissed it, having realized something upon memory.

"Wait a minute," Daniel says, stopping it from walking ahead, "you're the result of Project THEO, aren't you? Let's see…Theotrin, that's your name right?" Daniel said, prompting a reaction as Theotrin blasted Daniel with an energy blast. Daniel easily dodged it and decided to employ his own magic, creating an acid whip and slashing Theotrin with it. However, upon contact it instantly dematerialized, being absorbed by Theotrin afterwards as if it was a natural energy.

"If you know about Project THEO, you should know that I was designed to absorb magic energy used as a separate entity." Theotrin explained to Daniel. He knew Theotrin was right, and had to formulate another strategy to take him down.

" _Used as a separate entity. Hmm…that must mean that I cannot use my Acid Magic directly. Too bad Gajeel's not here; he would easily kick this guy's ass. If only I could channel it through some sort of object...wait, that's it!"_ Daniel thought to himself. He hurriedly pulled out a pistol and charged his acid magic through it, immediately firing and managing to damage Theotrin with the resulting blow. "Yes!" Daniel said confidently, watching as Theotrin looked at him annoyed. However, the wound slowly began to heal, making things more difficult for Daniel.

"Project THEO was also formed in order to create a weapon that can instantly heal from attacks. I doubt you're quick enough to take me out with multiple hits at once." Theotrin said, prompting to immediately fire an energy blast and take Daniel out. He was sent flying into a wall, breaking it down as Theotrin immediately took off. He was focused on getting those stones, and he couldn't stand there "playing" with Daniel if he wanted to achieve his objective. Unlucky for him, it wasn't long before Daniel recovered. He got up and realized that Theotrin had disappeared.

"Ah crap. Oh well…" Daniel said, scratching the back of his neck in frustration. Knowing that he was the prime target, he immediately took off after Theotrin and abandoned his orders. He had to stop Theotrin before it was too late.

Back down in the hangar, Sophia had easily taken care of all the intruding soldiers, standing there with a SMG on her shoulder as she walked around smiling.

"Well that was easier than I expected. Who was the guy that planned this?" Sophia wondered, believing the plan to have many flaws. With time, she turned and noticed Theotrin approaching her, prompting her to get into a defensive stance. "Alright, so who the hell are you?" She questioned, only for Theotrin to continue walking as he attempted to immobilize her.

"Stay out of my way." Theotrin simply stated, attempting to paralyze Sophia in a failed attempt as the latter dodged the attack. She jumped behind Theotrin, who continued walking to her surprise.

"Don't walk away from me!" Sophia shouted angrily, firing her SMG at Theotrin. However, this only brought her to the realization that her SMG would have no effect on him, especially since the "wounds" she inflicted easily healed.

"You're going to have to do better than that." Theotrin suggested, firing a beam that ensnared Sophia within an energy restraint. Daniel, unexpectedly running into Sophia, also managed to get caught within the trap as Theotrin resumed his focus onto his destination. "You don't have to worry; that thing's not going to last long enough to kill you." Theotrin stated as he headed to his destination, simply ignoring Sophia and Daniel's struggle to break free.

"Get back here you bastard! I'm not done with you yet!" Sophia shouted angrily, having slipped her beam up her sleeve, just like a trick. Using her hand alone, she let it slide out of her shirt and flicked at the right moment, watching as it was flung directly at Theotrin. Lucky for her, it managed to hit him (thanks to his undeterred focus on his destination), and it painfully restrained him. Having been caught in a similar trap, Theotrin now was forced to race against Sophia and Daniel, their goal being that they must break free. Daniel had an idea, but it wasn't the safest of ideas.

"Sophia, I'm going to use it!" He announced, surprising her for a moment until she realized his plan of action.

"Alright, do it!" She shouted.

That's when it begun. It was only seconds later when Theotrin broke free and decided to eliminate Sophia and Daniel for being potential threats, and that's when the magic was revealed. As Daniel encapsulated himself within a sheet of acid, Sophia's body slowly dissolved into miniscule crystals that flew about in a large group. Theotrin continued running regardless until he was blown back a powerful force. The crystals merged into a larger crystal that took the form of Sophia herself, soon revealing herself once again as she triggered the spell.

"Crystal Magic: Dancing Lights," she said calmly, closing her eyes as Theotrin found himself surrounded by darkness. Soon the darkness faded and what was revealed were large, lavender crystals that reflected his image. The result was his own image attacking him, resulting in the shatter of the crystal mirrors as they became dancing lights, revealing an ultimately defeated Theotrin. He wasn't entirely defeated, more like put into a state of comatose. Sophia, observing Theotrin lying on the ground, let out a sigh of relief at her success. "I'm glad that worked out as I planned." She said calmly. Daniel came over and encapsulated Theotrin, trapping him as they were planning to interrogate him later on. After doing so, he heard Sophia say something that perplexed him very much. "I'm just glad Kyousuke wasn't around to see it." Sophia said calmly, prompting surprise within Daniel.

"What do you mean? Don't you like him a lot?" Daniel questioned perplexed. Sophia, surprisingly, seemed a little bit insecure when going into detail.

"I do like him, but you know of the curse my magic brings Daniel. Even Gajeel knows; that's why we were so intent on figuring out Kyousuke's magic." Sophia explained. She turned away from Daniel as the latter looked at her with concern, unable to do anything as Sophia went on. "If Kyousuke finds out about the curse my magic brings, there is no telling what he may choose to do with it." Sophia explained. Daniel could only nod in response, knowing of the great danger Sophia brought. She had to carry it every day, dealing with whether she may be persecuted or if she may die because of it. It has brought her realization, but much…much pain. Putting an end to the deep moment that took place, a large explosion was heard elsewhere, prompting the two to look around in shock.

"What the hell was that?!" Daniel shouted in shock, prompting to head after it as Sophia took the lead.

It turns out that it was in the room where they kept all their stones, and the Xandolian Empire was after them as Gajeel had predicted. Cornering up against him and Kyousuke was one of the empire's higher ranking members: a male with short, black spiky hair and a gothic appearance. Clothed in a silver uniform that resembled the empire, it was clear that he was here for business. How to deal with him, however, was the bigger question at hand. This was especially true for Kyousuke, someone who had never fought this person before, yet somehow knew who he was. Kyousuke analyzed every bit of the guy he could, unable to find any clues that may help him in taking down this guy. Gajeel was hesitant to attack, knowing of the guy's dirty tricks, but Kyousuke wasn't so patient. He hastily took off and prepared to attack the guy without warning, much to Gajeel's instant disapproval.

"What the hell are you doing?! He's gonna kick your ass!" Gajeel yelled out in frustration, watching as Kyousuke effortlessly approached the still-standing enemy. He equipped his chokuto and attempted a slash, only to be brought to the realization of his disappearance.

"What? Where the hell did he go?" Kyousuke thought to himself perplexed, unable to anticipate the enemy appearing behind him. He was sent flying into the wall, only to quickly bounce back and attempt another attack. Unfortunately, he was only able to experience the same phenomena and receive an even greater punishment for his actions. After being kicked in the air, he was brutally suspended by Reflector Magic, having his own blade tied onto him as he was quickly sent into a spiral of pain. Eventually, he was tossed against the wall and rendered out of commission, quickly putting his focus on Gajeel since he was the more dangerous target.

"Another pathetic recruit? This is never going to end, is it?" He questioned, only angering Gajeel as he narrowed his eyes. He was waiting for the enemy's first attack, knowing that he attacking himself would get him into potential danger. However, this idea was instantly thwarted when Sophia and Daniel came rushing in, prompting the enemy to put his focus on them as they took charge. Sophia resorted to her Spiral Ice spell, creating a circular shield around herself as she blocked the incoming attack. However, the enemy appeared behind her, preparing to take her out within seconds. "You should've seen this coming." He said calmly. Sophia refused to bat an eye, keeping her focus on the wall in front as she grabbed what seemed to be the air, only to reveal itself as the true enemy. The enemy behind her vanished and the real enemy was blasted back with Sophia's Rocket Particle spell, which pierced the enemy with several crystals and forced him out of commission.

"You should remember that a simple distortion of light has no effect on the eyes of a crystal magic wielder. I am one with light itself, and therefore there is nothing you can do to fool me." Sophia explained, only frustrating the enemy as he lied on the ground helpless. It was clear to him that he wouldn't have a chance of winning, especially if the illusionary tactics he relied on so much were proven ineffective. However, his goal was not to fight them, but to retrieve stones. The fight proved to be the perfect distraction as a silver device with the Agapi Stone came flying to him.

"Well my work is done here. You can continue your pathetic lives without the stone." He said, grabbing it and prompting to leave. There was a hole in the ceiling that he used to get into the building, and that was what he was going to use to leave.

"Shit! We can't let him get away!" Gajeel yelled in frustration, immediately attacking with his Iron Dragon's Sword. Kyousuke, still having a bit of energy left, managed to muster a bolt that energized his Iron Dragon's Sword, allowing Gajeel to deliver enough power within a single strike to knock the stone away from the enemy. He was able to get the stone back, but the enemy wasn't too concerned. In fact, he had a devious smirk on his face, knowing of a truth they didn't. With that, the business of the Xandolian Empire was done, and they returned to their base whilst leaving the Stealth Overdrive base in the condition they put it in.

After that event, Daniel immediately took off after the other stones as the two stayed behind with Kyousuke, who was weakened as a result of poor judgment. It was silent for a few minutes before Kyousuke decided to finally say something.

"I can't believe I acted so foolishly." Kyousuke said, prompting a surprised reaction from Sophia.

"What...happened?" Sophia questioned curiously, wondering why he was upset.

"It's nothing." Kyousuke responded. He ultimately refused to answer the question, even though it seemed so simple, and in front of Gajeel. Gajeel, picking up on that, knew that it somehow upset him greatly, and it made him think that there must be more to it than meets the eye. However, his train of thought was knocked off course when Daniel came rushing back in a fright.

"The stones! They're gone!" Daniel shouted in frustration, creating an ordeal of shock and anger within the group.

"What?! You have to be kidding me!" Gajeel yelled in shock, running for their location as the others followed. This was only confirmed when upon arrival, the places in which the stones were kept revealed nothing but broken glass. "Dammit!" Gajeel yelled angrily, punching a hole in the wall out of pure frustration. No one tried to stop him, for they shared the same frustration and anger he did.

"Of course, another attempt at thwarting our plans has succeeded," Daniel said in frustration. No one replied, and they simply couldn't understand how the Xandolian Empire so easily slipped through them. Now they had no stones, and their purpose in keeping them was rendered utterly useless and pointless. Kyousuke, on the other hand, somehow was easily distracted by an abnormality on the wall, despite his emotional state. Part of the wall was bulging out in a strange shape, and this abnormality drew Kyousuke to it.

"Why is the wall shaped like this?" Kyousuke said as he observed the wall. Sophia, upset, wasn't in the mood for this observation.

"What are you observing the wall for? We don't have anything anymore!" Sophia said upsettingly, watching as Kyousuke punched through it.

"I could care less about the stones." Kyousuke bluntly put it, provoking much shock and anger from the others.

"What do you mean?! We have searched high and low for those stones, putting our lives on the line and you think you can just throw it away like it means nothing! They have the stones now and…"

"They're going to come after us!" Kyousuke yelled in response, angrily demolishing more of the wall and finding nothing as Sophia's temperament was suddenly mixed with a bit of shock. "Goddammit, soon we're going to be dead because we're sitting here whining about a bunch of stupid stones! You don't even know half of the story and you're trying to stop them as if you could! Why don't you just lie down right in front of them then; it's not like you're any worse off than before!" Kyousuke yelled angrily. His anger only left a period of silence in its wake. Daniel could only feel shock at this point and Sophia was both shocked and angry. Gajeel looked pissed off, but he didn't act on it just yet. Kyousuke, angry, walked off and went to do his own thing without saying a word.

* * *

It was their first fight; was it provoked through the subconscious or is Kyousuke up to something? Nevertheless, Kyousuke returned to his room and stayed in there, dealing with his anger as the group returned to the living room and got their stuff situated, first starting off with cleaning up. Well, at least Sophia and Daniel did; Gajeel had some shit to put straight. Without warning, he barged right into Kyousuke's room and grabbed him by the shirt, simply dragging him across the floor as he was pissed enough already. Kyousuke's angry struggle wasn't even to deter him from the anger he currently felt at this point in time. Following the hallway to the end and entering the door on the left, he found some chairs and threw Kyousuke onto one of them, despite Kyousuke's angry struggle. He grabbed a chair for himself and took a seat, getting up close with Kyousuke.

"What the hell was that crap for?! You looking for trouble?!" Gajeel threatened, angrily popping his knuckles as he adversely prompted a negative reaction from Kyousuke as a response.

"What, like what we're in right now?"

"Enough of your crap; I didn't recruit you so you could go around starting shit and cause problems!" Gajeel yelled angrily, getting further upset with Kyousuke's stubbornness as he got up and paced around angrily. Ultimately, the situation forced Kyousuke to think it through again, which ultimately resulted in his anger changing into self-disappointment. After a minute, he let out a sigh before replying as an angry Gajeel stood before him.

"You're right. I'm sorry." Kyousuke simply stated. Gajeel raised a brow as Kyousuke went into further detail. "It's just that...that pathetic group had ruined everything for me! The reason I reacted that way was because of them." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel calmed down, understanding what Kyousuke was going into detail about as he sat back down and got personal once again.

"Yeah, well that's no excuse to take it out on her," Gajeel said calmly. Kyousuke knew that he was right and once again let out a sigh.

"I know," Kyousuke said frustrated, pulling his hands through his hair. He went into even further detail as Gajeel simply listened. "At first I didn't know what you were talking about when you mentioned the Xandolian Empire, but then when I came into contact with that higher-rank, I realized who it was," Kyousuke explained. Gajeel was surprised, willing to hear more about it.

"So who are they?"

"They're as you've told me before, but they've also been after me. I've always been persecuted my whole life and have had to survive through brutal means, and they're a primary influence. They would do various things in order to eradicate me and be done with me, because they thought I was a threat, and all my life I have struggled to survive. People who meant a lot to me were murdered by them, and I hold only hatred for them. That's why I was so angry about being easily defeated." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel could understand him; hearing it allowed for better understanding.

"Alright, so then what's the other half of the story you mentioned?" Gajeel questioned, causing Kyousuke to remember.

"The stones are only one part of their plan. They need them, yes, but they need other components. Without them their plan would never work, so they were intent on stopping us early on in order to continue with their plan." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel understood, and he was calm now. Kyousuke, however, was easily upset again. "I guess I expected you to know about it too, so I wrongly accused you. I didn't want to further upset you." Kyousuke said calmly. He could only sit there in distress as he not only lost to an opponent he hated, he also upset his team unwillingly. As he sat there upset, Gajeel put a hand on his shoulder and comforted him, soothing his troubles as it prompted Kyousuke to look at Gajeel surprised.

"I've been through similar crap before; you're fine." Gajeel said as he grinned. Somehow that grin affected Kyousuke on a deep level. It made him feel like everything would flow without disruptions, and that was soothing to Kyousuke. It made him happy on the inside. Gajeel then got up and held out a hand for Kyousuke. "Alright, we gotta start cleaning up this place and get back on track." Gajeel said as Kyousuke grabbed it, pulling himself up as he left with Gajeel to where everyone else was.

"Right."


	6. Chapter 6: Mutual Resonance

Chapter 6: Mutual Resonance

After the disturbance that previously took place, Gajeel and Kyousuke returned to the kitchen where Sophia and Daniel were cleaning up. They weren't doing much at the moment except for using brooms to clean up dirt on the floor, which would barely get them anywhere. Kyousuke looked at Sophia and felt a bit regretful, deciding to do something about it. Gajeel stood at the door and watched as Kyousuke approached Sophia, who looked at him with an upset and angry expression on her face. Kyousuke, however, was not here to start more trouble.

"Look, I didn't mean to get mad and insult you like that. I was just angry because of personal issues I have to deal with, so I'm sorry." Kyousuke apologized. This only prompted Sophia to set her broom on the ground as she stood up and looked at him, her expression left unchanged. Her reaction was to punch him in the arm, which didn't hurt Kyousuke, but it did surprise him.

"You did piss me off, I'll admit that, but at least you had the guts to apologize." Sophia said calmly, her expression quickly turning into that of a calm smile, going ahead and hugging Kyousuke lightly.

"So you know that my apology is genuine?" Kyousuke questioned as Sophia nodded.

"Ugh...yeah! Gajeel isn't our daddy; he's not going to make you apologize. If he was a daddy, he would be one of those dark daddies that like to plaster their children with dark crap and everything." Sophia said jokingly, provoking annoyance from Gajeel.

"Whatever." Gajeel simply stated, walking over to Daniel as Sophia couldn't help but laugh.

"His children may wonder if he's a girl with that long hair!" Sophia shouted as Kyousuke wondered how she could possibly make such a comparison.

" _Where the hell does she get these ideas?"_ Kyousuke thinks to himself perplexed, rolling his eyes. Gajeel retorted with an even better comeback.

"Then you can be the angry mom that yells at everything! You're name's gonna be Francis from now on!"

"Oh shut up!" Sophia shouted annoyed as Kyousuke couldn't help but chuckle. Sophia continued to bicker about it as Kyousuke and Gajeel observed Daniel cleaning and the mess that was created as a result of the battle. The group eventually realized that they would never have the time to repair all the damage, so they decided to get it over with quickly.

"Time to test one of these 'swift-cleaner' orbs!" Daniel said excitedly. It was a silver orb that was meant to repair the damages created from the battle that ensued, so that much, much time could be conserved. Daniel quickly activated it and let it do its work, but he had to walk around with it everywhere, so the group sat back and decided to discuss whatever was on their minds. Kyousuke had that dream on his mind still, and he was intent on asking about it. This would be the perfect time for doing so.

"Hey Gajeel." Kyousuke said, getting his attention.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I need to talk to you about something." Kyousuke said calmly. Sophia overheard it and realized that it was important, and so she naturally joined in, which didn't bother Kyousuke. Gajeel put his full attention on Kyousuke as he listened.

"Okay, so what is it?" Gajeel questioned, prompting Kyousuke to explain.

"Well…last night I had a strange dream. The pe…"

"Don't we all have strange dreams?" Sophia questioned. Kyousuke became easily irritated.

"This dream was like a message!"

"Okay, continue on." Sophia said calmly as Gajeel shook his head. Kyousuke continued on.

"Well, we acted as a group and everything was normal, with the exception of one thing. There was another member there that was a part of the team." Kyousuke explained. This only put Gajeel and Sophia into a state of surprise.

"Yeah?" Gajeel questioned in surprise, just as Sophia looked at him with a more exotic expression.

"Wait! What did he look like?" She wondered. Unfortunately, Kyousuke didn't know of he looked like.

"I don't know. For some reason, he was greyed out in my dream. He didn't say anything, there were no clues, nothing." Kyousuke explained, only disappointing the two.

"Of course." Sophia said disappointed. This only complicated things, for the groups sudden interest in the dream was instantly shot down due to the restrictions Kyousuke encountered. Kyousuke, however, did wonder if what happened in the dream was actually true.

"Was there another member of the team?" Kyousuke questioned. Sophia surprisingly kept silent, and Gajeel answered the question himself.

"There was, and his name was Pantherlily." Gajeel stated, prompting surprise within Kyousuke. He didn't think that his dream would have some actual truth to it, but knowing that only made him more curious.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to him?" Kyousuke asked calmly. Sophia was about to answer the question until being halted by Gajeel, who again, answered the question himself.

"Our team got into a battle with the Xandolian Empire and he was abducted." Gajeel explained. It was so tragic that even the memory of the event made his anger boil.

* * *

The team was in a run-down base with the Xandolian Empire, alone as two of the members encountered the higher-rank (the one who attacked Kyousuke), and other soldiers that were members of the empire. Sophia and Daniel were somewhere else within the base, focused on preventing soldiers from ambushing the other two members of the team. This left Gajeel and Pantherlily to deal with the higher-rank, who wouldn't be easy to deal with. The team was intent on getting the Cloak of Nocturne, a black cloak that would engulf anyone who wears it within a sheet of darkness. As strange as it sounds, one puts the cloak around themselves, triggering its dematerialization process as it engulfs the user in a sheet of darkness that not only enhances their strength, but also brings their desires to fruition. Their deepest, most powerful feelings will be revealed, regardless of the user's desire to show it. At this point, Stealth Overdrive and the Xandolian Empire were racing to get it first, and the one who got it first would change the outcome of this never-ending struggle.

"Well well, two pieces of gutter-trash. This should be fun." He said calmly, only annoying the other two as they try to figure out a way around him.

"Gajeel, we need to come up with a plan!" Pantherlily suggests. Gajeel immediately formulated one with ease.

"I've already got one. You can go after the cloak; I'll stay here and take out this chump." Gajeel explained, prompting Pantherlily to go on with a course of action as he temporarily vanishes from the area. The higher-rank looked at him surprised.

"Those are big words coming from gutter-trash."

"I'm gonna make you pay for talking with that big mouth of yours!" Gajeel threatened, quickly attacking with his Iron Dragon's Club and missing him. The higher-rank didn't proceed with an offensive, simply standing there as Gajeel quickly ran up and attempted to take him down when he wasn't looking. "I've got you now!" He shouted, attacking with his Iron Dragon's Sword in the hopes of taking him out. However, the one who he thought was the higher-rank there simply vaporized like a computer image, revealing the real one to be behind him.

"It looks like you fell for my illusion!" The higher-rank said calmly, proceeding to use his Reflector Magic on Gajeel as the latter was vulnerable. However, in a twist of events, Gajeel instantly appeared in-front of the higher-rank and took him out with a single punch, sending him flying as the higher-rank had no choice but to take the hit. Flying and hitting the ground, the higher-rank looked up in shock as Gajeel was only pounding his fists together with a grin on his face. "What?! It can't be…you use illusions too?" He questioned, prompting slight disgust within Gajeel.

"That wasn't a pathetic illusion, it was just speed. You'll never be able to run from me." Gajeel explained with a dark tone, leaving the higher-rank in shock. This gave Gajeel the advantage, since he had a much greater fighting skill than the higher-rank, not to mention the lack of use in illusions only provided much detriment to the latter's possible success.

"Well you live up to your reputation, in-fact you might exceed it. But that doesn't matter, because you're just…." The higher-rank explains before being instantly drawn off track. The base was suddenly thrown into a self-destruct sequence, ultimately forcing the two to end their battle.

"It looks like we'll have to finish another day." The higher-rank said, taking off as Gajeel yelled at him angrily.

"Hey, get back here you coward!" Gajeel yelled. However, he realized that it was useless, ultimately setting his sights on Pantherlily's location. With that, he immediately took off. It took a little bit to find him, but when he did, he was more shocked than relieved.

"Lily!" He shouted. Pantherlily was caught up within a trap. He was suspended on the wall by cuffs that were bolted in on his arms and legs, and he had no way of escaping. Gajeel, shocked, ran over and desperately tried breaking the cuffs off, despite Pantherlily's pleas.

"Gajeel, don't worry about me! Just get the hell out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you behind, you got that?!" Gajeel shouted angrily, trying to break apart the cuffs with no success. Pantherlily still wasn't convinced.

"If you don't go, there will only be two of them searching for us! You're the leader; they need you or the team will break apart!" Pantherlily shouted, prompting Gajeel to stop and look at him shocked. He knew he was right, but he didn't want to leave him behind. He didn't want a close friend of his to go. "GO!" Pantherlily shouted desperately, realizing that they don't have much time until the base was done for. Gajeel still stared at him in shock, the expression slowly turning into a stern one as he prepared to leave, turning around once more.

"I'm coming back for you; don't you ever forget that!" Gajeel ordered, pointing at him to make his point clear. Pantherlily could only nod as a response, prompting Gajeel to take off and leave the base. It didn't take him long to escape, seeing Sophia and Daniel ahead as he was able to catch up to them. About seven seconds after they left the base, the whole thing became a fireworks show as it suddenly exploded, prompting the team to take cover. Everyone dive onto the ground and kept their faces covered to shield them from any incoming debris. The only emotional Gajeel could feel at this point was anger. Minutes after the explosion took place, the group slowly got up and looked back at what was once a base, now in ruins. Gajeel couldn't help but feel an anger growing within him, observing the base as Sophia and Daniel looked at him concerned.

"Where's Pantherlily?" Sophia questioned. Gajeel kept silent for a bit before responding, knowing how angry it made him.

"They got him." He simply stated. Sophia and Daniel looked at him in shock, unable to comprehend it.

"Oh no." Sophia said upsettingly, trying to hold her feelings back. Gajeel, however, couldn't do that. The anger was just too strong. He immediately punched the ground with full force, creating a massive crater in its wake as he looked at the ground angrily. Sophia and Daniel watched him in complete shock, watching as he got up and faced the ruins of the base. Gajeel then clenched his fists tightly, the rage so easily consuming him.

"They're gonna pay for this. I'm gonna kill them…"

* * *

Gajeel couldn't help but sit there thinking about it again. It made him so angry that he wasn't able to do something about it at that time, but he had to accept it. He couldn't time travel, and he knew that. Just dealing with the horrible thoughts was the hard part. Kyousuke felt bad about it himself, having gotten a bigger picture of how much crap Gajeel had went through. He didn't realize that bringing it up would upset him again.

"I see. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up." Kyousuke said calmly. He didn't want to upset Gajeel again, especially since he knew how it pissed himself off when others did it to him. Gajeel, however, wasn't upset with him.

"Don't worry about it, it ain't your fault." Gajeel said calmly. With that, he got up and headed out of the room, heading into his own room as Kyousuke and Sophia watched him in concern. Kyousuke realized that Gajeel and he have a lot in common. The only problem though was that Kyousuke didn't know how to connect with him on it. They both went through pain, but is pain supposed to bring people together?

"I didn't think it would be such a sensitive topic." Kyousuke said calmly. Sophia could tell that Kyousuke felt bad about bringing it up and tried to put his stress at ease.

"I can't explain what goes on when we have dreams, but it was out of your control. Perhaps it was some kind of message you'll have to interpret." Sophia said calmly, prompting Kyousuke to look at her surprised. "I think Gajeel's happier that you told him about it instead of trying to conceal it from him." Sophia explained, further surprising Kyousuke. Kyousuke then nodded, prompting Sophia to get up and head off. She needed to take her mind off the stressful event that was brought up once again. "I'm going to check on Daniel, I'll talk to you later." Sophia said calmly, taking off as Kyousuke watched her leave. Kyousuke just sat there, thinking about that last bit of information that she brought up about the dream.

" _A message I'll have to interpret? Sounds like a start, just not sure where to go."_ Kyousuke thought to himself calmly. Thinking about it though didn't make things clearer; in fact, they made things more mentally stressful for Kyousuke. At that moment, he was just overwhelmed with emotions, like the emotions were water and that water was drowning him. Emotional suffocating, one could put it as. Kyousuke got up and headed into the hallway, heading up to Gajeel's door and knocking on it. He stood there and waited a bit as Gajeel opened the door, looking at him with a serious expression.

"What's up with you?" He asked calmly. Kyousuke took a little bit to answer, processing it multiple times within his head.

"Do you want to talk?" Kyousuke questioned, prompting surprise within Gajeel. Kyousuke couldn't hold much of it in anymore; he had to let it out at some point. These intense feelings had to be revealed before they started eating him away.

* * *

It didn't take long before Gajeel and Kyousuke were sitting outside of the base. Gajeel was in his X791 outfit once again, sitting on a hillside as a lake was right in front of him. The sun was starting to set, and Gajeel wanted to get to the talk.

"Alright, what is it?" Gajeel asked calmly. Kyousuke took a deep breath before answering, finding it easier to talk in this setting.

"I wanted to talk to you about some things that have been floating in my head. They've been eating away at me for a while and I think you're the best person to talk to about it." Kyousuke told him, noticing Gajeel's attention being focused on him.

"Then let's hear it." Gajeel said calmly, prompting Kyousuke to go on. There was that one question that Kyousuke remembered of in the gym, the one formulated after seeing that guild-mark on his shoulder.

"Are you from Fairy Tail?" Kyousuke asked calmly, prompting surprise within Gajeel. He looked at him with his eyes widened a bit before replying.

"Yeah, what about it?" Gajeel questioned. Kyousuke took a deep breath before explaining.

"It's a long story. There's this high-school called Mega Dawn that hosts students who want to pursue certain careers in the highest advancements possible. Strangely enough, the Fairy Tail guild appeared within this world about a couple of years ago, and at least eight months ago they became integrated within our high-school." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel looked at him in surprise before asking another question.

"So what's this got to do with me?" He questioned as Kyousuke responded.

"I saw the guild emblem on your shoulder, so I could only assume that you were from there. Furthermore, there's this whole thing about 'relatable partners' interleaved within it all."

"'Relatable partners'? What the hell is that?"

"It's when the guild became integrated within the school. This weird-ass phenomenon took place where everyone found someone they could relate too, and this somehow magnetically bonded them together, kind of like glue. Someone named Dayton became the partner of a Fire Dragon Slayer named Natsu…"

"So he's there too." Gajeel said calmly, prompting surprise within Kyousuke.

"You know him?"

"Salamander is an idiot, but he sure knows how to fight. It's been so long since I've seen him; I'd probably kick his ass now." Gajeel said whilst chuckling. Kyousuke couldn't help but smile a bit in response before getting back to the story.

"The same happened with Erza, Gray, Lucy...you get the point. Everyone had their partners and so forth...except me." Kyousuke said calmly, prompting surprise within Gajeel. His focus was set on him as he simply listened. "At first I didn't think that a lack of a partner would be that big of a deal, but it turns out that because I didn't have one, people hated me." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel was full of confusion and shock; they hated him over just that?

"That sounds ridiculous." Gajeel said bluntly, just as Kyousuke agreed.

"It's stupid, but it happened. The Xandolian Empire may have had a part in it, but that stupid school managed to fool everyone into thinking that I was a threat." Kyousuke said calmly. His tone got noticeably darker as Gajeel listened. Gajeel's resonance with the information he received continued to grow, much to his own surprise. "From then on people tried to treat me like crap, either by simply being rude or by trying to murder me. Either way, I was branded an outcast from that point on and nobody could give a damn. Even Natsu had fell prey to the victimizing stunt the school was pulling against me." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel could feel the anger building up in Kyousuke just by feeling his energy, the hatred that was involved. He couldn't believe how much it reminded him of how he had felt before. This tangible energy could easily flow through him because of how similar it was. "All I know now is that the guild holds no respect for me, even though I never did anything wrong before this all happened." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel then looked at him seriously and asked him a question.

"Does seeing this emblem on me make you hate me?" Gajeel questioned curiously, surprising Kyousuke. It would be easy for him to think that, but Kyousuke didn't feel that way.

"No, it doesn't." Kyousuke said calmly, surprising Gajeel. "In fact, it makes me desperate."

"Desperate? How does that work?"

"I came across a flyer your group had posted in the school for testing for recruits to the team. Somehow it inflicted some sort of desperation within me, the desperation to find answers. I thought there would be clues as to why this was happening. Later on when I became a part of the group, I met you, and somehow a different type of connection was sparked." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel looked at him a bit surprised, noticing some intimate feelings surfacing as Kyousuke went on. "Ever since we first met, I was somehow drawn into you. It seems like the more I find out about you, the more easily drawn to you I am. In fact, having seen that guild mark has given me ideas. It made me wonder if the same phenomenon happening in the school was finally happening to me." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel looked at him surprised before narrowing his eyes a bit and thinking into it, catching onto what he meant.

"So you're saying that we could be partners?"

"...yeah." Kyousuke said calmly. Gajeel thought about it a bit and realized how it could play out. He then grinned when thinking about it, much to Kyousuke's surprise.

"Yeah, I can see it. If anyone is going to be my partner, it's gonna be you." Gajeel said as he ruffled through Kyousuke's hair a bit with a grin on his face. Just that sensation alone made Kyousuke feel warmer. Gajeel went into a bit of his own details and shared a bit of information with Kyousuke. "Being an outcast, I know what that's all about." Gajeel told him, surprising Kyousuke. Kyousuke had never felt this close to someone before; was it fate? Kyousuke became curious when thinking about that specifically.

"Have you ever felt this way about me?" Kyousuke questioned, prompting Gajeel to think about it.

"Well I knew that you would be a great recruit to the team, you've got that down. I'm not gonna get into the lovey-dovey crap, but you're better as a partner than as a recruit." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke could easily understand what he meant, and it made him happy knowing that his feelings were mutual. They weren't intense enough to be considered a complete attraction to both the physical and mental, at least not yet; but they were enough to bring them closer. Kyousuke felt much better after that talk, and he was happy to find that their relationship was thriving. The two got up and both looked at each other calmly, Kyousuke with a smile on his face.

"Thanks Gajeel." Kyousuke said calmly. His feelings were flushed out and he overall felt much better. This only caused Gajeel to grin and wrap his arm around Kyousuke in a "buddy" fashion.

"It's nothing. We've got another mission tomorrow, you better be ready." He said calmly, returning to the base with Kyousuke as the sun finally set and it was night-time. Now that the group was back on track emotionally, they had to get back on track physically.


	7. Chapter 7: Missionary Discoveries

Chapter 7: Missionary Discoveries

What is one great way to get back on track? Work harder. At least that's how Gajeel saw it, for the group was going on yet another mission. Thanks to that special orb that Daniel managed to recover, the place was repaired in no time. Yeah, the group had lost the stones, but they still had a chance at stopping the Xandolian Empire from turning into a worldwide madness spree. Gajeel even knew of this, even before the stones were stolen. That may sound strange considering that he asked Kyousuke what he meant when Kyousuke brought up "the other half of the story", but that was just Gajeel's way of testing Kyousuke. He knew the whole time, sneaky guy he is.

That doesn't matter though, for the mission at hand is more important. It was currently 10:00 A.M., and the group was on the NovaGlider heading to their next destination: the Tropics of Canaria. Luckily, the group knew that simply standing aboard a moving ship the whole time would be quite boring, so they had some activities set up within the ship to ease their patience. One of those activities included an Air Hockey table, and judging from the amount of force involved in their previous dodgeball game, one could easily imagine the disasters that may be brought forth with aggressive play. There was even one point in which Gajeel hit the puck so hard that it literally snapped in half, which Sophia decided to treasure for her keepsake. Currently up were Sophia and Daniel, battling each other with the current score being Daniel with five points and Sophia with three points. Both Kyousuke and Gajeel stood next to each other as they observed their game, watching Sophia manage to slip the puck into Daniel's goal and score a point.

"Yes! I'm not gonna lose!" Sophia shouted confidently. Daniel, however, was unimpressed.

"Don't get cocky; I'm still one point ahead of you!" Daniel reminded her, starting off another ferocious battle as Sophia accidentally pushed the puck into her own goal.

"Dammit!" She shouted in frustration, becoming increasingly anxious as the game went on. One should expect a member of Stealth Overdrive to have their adrenaline sky-rocket over a simple game of Air Hockey, especially when being stupid enough to knock their own puck into their own goal.

"If you want to lose, be my guest." Daniel teased, annoying Sophia as she prepared to start off the next round.

"Shut up! You won't win!" She shouted, immediately hitting the puck with the perfect precision at the perfect time, scoring her another point as it flies right into Daniel's goal in one shot. Now with six-Daniel, five-Sophia; the latter gave Daniel a devious smirk while nodding her head. Daniel only shook his head in response, starting off the next round and battling once again. Kyousuke couldn't help but wonder about Sophia's competitive personality.

"She's gets fired up over everything and anything." Kyousuke noted, Gajeel agreeing.

"Sometimes she just never shuts up." Gajeel states, watching their game progress as Daniel scores a point. He's received seven points, he's the winner!

"No!" Sophia said in devastation, wondering how she could possibly lose. Daniel simply walked off proudly, glad that he beat Sophia.

"That's payback for taking me out all the time in the dodgeball game." He said jokingly, provoking her once more.

"Oh whatever, you just don't know how to throw a ball!" Sophia shouted, walking back to the group as they prepared for their next mission. It wouldn't be very long until they arrive at their destination, so they ought to start making plans now.

"Okay," Kyousuke said, getting the group's attention, "what are we supposed to be doing here?"

"We're here looking for the Cloak of Nocturne." Gajeel stated, inflicting surprise within Sophia and Daniel.

"The Cloak of Nocturne?" Daniel questioned as Gajeel nodded his head in response. Sophia assumed that he must've decided this after having thought about the loss of Pantherlily yesterday.

"You can't be serious! We've never been successful in finding that cloak, ever!" Sophia argued. Gajeel, however, remained unconvinced.

"That's why this time, we will get it. Nothing's gonna get in our way and we're gonna get that cloak." Gajeel explained. Sophia still was against the idea, crossing her arms and looking away. Kyousuke didn't know what the cloak was, yet he seemed interested in finding out.

"Okay, so someone elaborate on what the hell this 'Cloak of Nocturne' is."

"It's a cloak that allows for one to temporarily obtain darkness magic and become one with the darkness." Daniel explains. His eyes were focused on Gajeel for a bit since it was obvious that he was the darkest of all the members. "You put this cloak on and it not only enhances your power to a great degree, it also reveals your deepest inner desires." Daniel explained. Kyousuke wondered how it did that.

"And how does that work?"

"The darkness itself reveals nothing but the truth." Gajeel explained. He took over the conversation and decided to go into more detail. "The Xandolian Empire already robbed us of our stones, but they need that cloak. That's why we're going after it." Gajeel explained. Sophia understood more of why he wanted to get it, but she felt as if it wasn't the best idea. Not because of reasons regarding the Empire, but reasons regarding Gajeel and his dark afflictions. The last thing she wanted was for him to lose it and go off on a killing spree, which may happen with the cloak. He's been quite vindictive when it comes to Pantherlily, and so she's worried because of that. In fact, it's not just that which provokes him to a great degree of violence. Gajeel then laid out a plan, proceeding to go on with it.

After having explained the plan to the group, the group got ready to deport the NovaGlider and head off. Their first task was to navigate through a thick, dense jungle in order to get to a hidden temple that contains the cloak, along with any other vital necessities that they may come across. They each deported the glider, Gajeel leading as he navigated the group through the thick jungle. Luckily this area wouldn't be that big of a deal, unless you consider dealing with tropical jungle life a big deal. Yeah, there may have been some giant spiders here and there that attacked on sight, but they were quickly sliced and diced up before being discarded. The biggest concern was the heat, which Daniel could take the least of.

"Ugh...it's so hot!" He complained, wiping sweat off of his forehead as he continued following the group.

"Hot and humid; my hair is slowly becoming soaked." Sophia said upsettingly. If she wanted to get her hair wet, she wouldn't need to use something as gross as sweat, which was also clearly indicated with Gajeel. He was also dealing with serious perspiration, and being a male, it was worse on him. When his hair would fling from side-to-side, sweat would fly off of it. Not a beautiful sight, but all the more indicative of this disastrous heat.

"Gajeel, how can you manage your hair being soaked like that?" Sophia questioned, completely disgusted by her hair being soaked in sweat. Gajeel, however, continued forward regardless.

"I'm not a whiner like you." Gajeel stated, annoying Sophia a bit.

"That's not what I meant!" She said annoyed, trying to dry out her hair despite how pointless it was. Daniel, being an Acid Magic user, was probably the least vulnerable to the humidity (despite how quick he was to complain), even though it already had a great effect on him.

Eventually, the group came across a large, pyramid shaped temple, which relieved the group of their humid dilemma.

"We made it!" Sophia shouted while throwing her arms up in the air.

"Run inside!" Daniel shouted, prompting the group to speed into the temple. There were torches hanging on the walls that were lit, so they could see. The group just needed a break to recover from the heat, well, except for Gajeel.

"You all are a bunch of pansies!" Gajeel said in disappointment, ready to move on as he too sat down. He realized that no one was going to listen to him, so he just decided to wait it out. Kyousuke, however, had to be the one who got his face stuck in Gajeel's long, sweaty hair. The extreme amount of sweat produced an absolutely putrid odor that resonated through the group, and Kyousuke, within just seconds, fell down onto the ground in disgust and horror after having his face caught within that thick bundle of hair.

"Oh my god…you hair smells horrible!" Kyousuke gasped, lying on the ground disgusted. Gajeel just ignored it until Sophia smelled him, quickly taking up the same opinion as she plugged her nose.

"Ugh, you smell horrible!"

"It ain't as bad as your smell." Gajeel stated, to which Sophia instantly disagreed. However, Daniel smelled Sophia himself, quickly agreeing with Gajeel as he plugged his nose.

"Oh god...the woman didn't shower today!" Daniel said disgusted, prompting Sophia to punch him in the arm. Eventually Gajeel just took off his jacket and shirt, becoming shirtless as he was basking in a bunch of heat. If he was going to take a break, he might as well get all that heavy crap off of him. Kyousuke noticed him doing so and did the same himself, with Daniel reluctant to do so. This was the first time Kyousuke actually saw Gajeel half-naked, which isn't necessarily important. His broad, muscular physique wasn't surprising in the least bit to Kyousuke. He then began wondering why he was thinking about that of all things, quickly focusing on the task at hand.

After about ten minutes, the group got back up and got clothed again, ready to continue their mission. Gajeel continued through the temple as the group followed, not having to split up or anything just yet.

"Alright, keep your eyes open. We're looking for the cloak, no matter what happens." Gajeel ordered as everyone agreed. They continued through the temple and came across two large doors that happened to be closed. There was nothing odd or peculiar about the doors, so they decided to enter. The group pushed through the doors and came across a large room with many torches on the walls, a statue in the middle, and several corridors leading to different areas. Sophia observed the room and became intrigued.

"Well this is certainly an interesting area." Sophia commented, observing everything. Gajeel walked up to the statue in the middle and observed it, but it led to nothing. Kyousuke stood back and observed the corridors on the walls, thinking about entering them.

"Maybe we should split up and check out these corridors." Kyousuke suggested as everyone agreed. As they were about to proceed with this plan of action, they were quickly interrupted by something rather strange. A small girl suddenly fell from the ceiling, falling onto the ground and landing on her feet somehow. She had short, orange hair that wrapped around her head with green eyes and a pink outfit.

"Hey ya, how dee doo?!" She says in a very childish manner, surprising everyone at they look at her perplexed.

"What the hell…" Gajeel said confused, watching as the girl bounces about and says random things.

"Nobody ever visits the temple, so seeing visitors is a treat for being such a good girl!" She tells the group, who honestly could care less. Kyousuke observed it a bit, unable to come to a conclusion. Daniel, however, knew what it was.

"I think it's a goobling." He said calmly, provoking further confusion within everyone else.

"A goobling? What the heck is that supposed to be?" Sophia questioned in bewilderment.

"What this little girl is." Daniel responded. "I'm not too sure, but I've heard of them being strange creatures that hide in dark places as a sort of survival. They're utterly harmless, but quite irritating." Daniel explained, noticing how the goobling already was irritating Gajeel. It kept pulling on his pants and holding onto his leg as he tried kicking it off.

"You're outfit is really weird, why do you wear these pants?"

"Get off of me you little brat!" Gajeel angrily demanded, kicking about to no avail. Eventually it let go as Gajeel watched it with irritation. It approached Sophia next.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Sophia." She said calmly, looking it in the face with a smile. However, this failed, for it immediately started crying in front of her as her expression quickly turned to shock.

"You're such a meanie!" It cried, running over to Kyousuke as Sophia looked at it perplexed.

"Wha...what did I do?" She wondered as Daniel sighed.

"I should've mentioned that they can also detect one's natural level of emotional balance. It took in your natural association with anger as a form of aggression." Daniel explained, annoying Sophia in the process. It approached Kyousuke and looked him in the eyes, the latter not moving a muscle. Kyousuke did not want to interact with the creature, and so he simply just stood there. Eventually the goobling took action and said something.

"You're very scary." It said calmly, surprising Kyousuke and the others.

"Scary?"

"Scary, but it's because you're angry and sad. You're also in love." It said, prompting Kyousuke to blush. He tried to play it off as if it was nothing.

"I don't know what you mean." Kyousuke said calmly. However, that didn't work, for the other three were staring at him with complete shock. Daniel was quick to pry into the subject.

"He's in love? With whom?" Daniel questioned, just as the goobling turned.

"With this guy!" She said, pointing to Gajeel as a response. Everyone's eyes widened hysterically as Kyousuke was sent into a spiral of shock. Gasps were heard everywhere as Kyousuke backed away from the group in devastation.

"No no no no no…" Kyousuke said as he slowly sat on the ground, unable to respond. The goobling then ran over to Gajeel and quickly analyzed him.

"You're also scary, very scary." It said which didn't surprise Gajeel. "You are also very angry, but you are searching for someone. You are also in love." It told Gajeel, who can't help but look at it in shock.

"That's ridiculous!" Gajeel retorted annoyed. However, Daniel quickly interrupted the conversation due to a realization.

"But wait; there are four different types of love. Perhaps when it says love, it means all the different types of love." Daniel explained, prompting to ask the goobling what type of love.

"What type of love do they share? Is it Phileo, Agape?" He asked the goobling, who proceeded to answer.

"Storge." It said calmly. The group then sighed and took a breather, realizing that it may be just a love out of close friendship and being teammates. "But also Eros in time." the goobling stated, providing more shock for the group. Sophia gasped in shock as Kyousuke got up and retorted.

"Yes, I do like Gajeel! But what makes you say I'm in love with him?!" Kyousuke questioned desperately, prompting the goobling to answer.

"There is a hole in your life that you want to fill. This person gives the support and protection you most desperately need." It explained. Kyousuke couldn't help but freeze up upon that statement. The moment turned into a shocking one, just as Kyousuke stared at the thing in shock. The explanation was absolutely on-point. It prompted Gajeel and Kyousuke to stare at each other in shock, realizing that the meaning of their relationship was deeper than what a generalization could describe. Daniel was finished with the goobling, and proceeded to get rid of it.

"Alright, scatter off. We've got to do stuff now." He told the goobling, who ran off as a result. It was a strange, yet deep moment for the two of them. Kyousuke felt exposed when being around that thing, which he really despised.

"Let's just get to work." He said calmly, taking off into one of the rooms as the others took off. Gajeel waited a bit and stared at Kyousuke, who was heading into one of the corridors. He couldn't help but think about the feelings Kyousuke had for him, especially since they were so intense. It was strange, yet intriguing. With that he took off into his respective corridor and got to work.

As for Kyousuke, he continued through the door and found himself in a strange room. The rocky walls of the temple were replaced by silver, metal walls.

"I find it strange that this temple suddenly changes into what can be called another base." Kyousuke said to himself calmly. However, he quickly kept quiet when he heard yelling, lying up against the wall as he slowly walked into the open space within the area. Peering past the wall he saw a strange sight; a large cat-like being restrained to some sort of bed as a soldier patrolled around him. The cat had black fur with a white face, red eyes, and green pants. It was sort of reminiscent of a panther in a way. The soldier was clearly a Xandolian Empire member, attempting an interrogation of the cat-like creature through the process of electrocution.

"Tell me, where is the Cloak of Nocturne?" It asked the cat, surprising Kyousuke.

"I don't know where it is, but even if I did, I would never tell you." The cat told the soldier. Kyousuke realized that the empire was after it as usual, but didn't think that the cat would be involved in this mess.

"It seems that we'll have to force it out of you." The soldier said, snapping a finger as the electrocution process began. The cat screamed in pain as the electricity coursed through its body, especially since lightning was its biggest fear. Kyousuke couldn't just stand there and watch though; he walked up to a window and cut it apart with his chokuto. The electrocution process was halted and the soldier set his focus on Kyousuke, who shot him dead with one bullet. The cat looked up at Kyousuke in shock, watching as Kyousuke took out another incoming soldier with an elbow to the chest.

"Who the hell are you?" The cat questioned defensively, just as Kyousuke ran up to it and sliced off the restraints it had on.

"To keep things short, I'm not your enemy." He said quickly. The cat got up and brushed its arms up, ready to get out of there. At that moment, a lock-down sequence was initiated, somehow managing to irritate Kyousuke. "Is a complete self-desecration of the base their only method at stopping us?!" Kyousuke questioned in shock, only for the cat to quickly dismiss it.

"Don't worry about it; let's just get out of here!" It shouted, running off as Kyousuke followed it. Within seconds they left the area and the base locked itself down, locking them out and preventing them from entering the base again. From then on, they walked off and proceeded to head back to the center of the temple.

"That was close." Kyousuke said in relief, the cat agreeing.

"I thank you for saving me back there. You have my gratitude." It told Kyousuke in a formal manner, who looked at it surprised.

"It was nothing." Kyousuke stated. He was intent on finding out who this cat-like creature was though. "However, who are you?" Kyousuke questioned, prompting the cat to answer.

"My name's Pantherlily." It said calmly, surprising Kyousuke. He quickly halted and listened as Pantherlily went on. "I was a member of the Stealth Overdrive force in the…"

"Wait a minute, did I hear you correctly? You did say 'Pantherlily' right?" Kyousuke questioned, puzzling Pantherlily.

"Yes, you heard me right. Why, what's the matter?" He questioned. Kyousuke started realizing that he found Gajeel's long lost partner, and he needed to get to Gajeel as soon as possible.

"We need to get going!" Kyousuke shouted, about to take off as Pantherlily was left in confusion.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"I don't have the time to explain, but I'm the newest member of Stealth Overdrive. Gajeel's been looking for you ever since you disappeared!" Kyousuke explained, putting Pantherlily into a state of shock.

"He's been looking all this time?!"

"Yeah, let's go!" Kyousuke shouted, taking off as Pantherlily followed. They had to get back to Gajeel no matter what, and they had to do it quick. Unfortunately, the group came across a group of soldiers in the main area, which wouldn't help them whatsoever.

"Crap." Kyousuke said calmly. Pantherlily had his sights set on the soldiers, ready to get payback for the torment they put him through.

"Do you have any weapons?" Pantherlily questioned, prompting Kyousuke to hand him a shotgun he brought along with him.

"I've got this."

"That's perfect." Pantherlily said, pumping the shotgun and instantly firing. It was a Z-Blast model, so the shotgun would be able to fire not just your typical shotgun shells, but also bursts of magic energy. Pantherlily was easily able to utilize this function and power massive amounts of magic energy through the gun, taking down large scores of soldiers instantly while proceeding to make his way to Gajeel. Kyousuke took out some soldiers with his pistols and chokuto, but thanks to the power of that Z-Blast shotgun, not much work from him was needed. After taking down every soldier, another unknown soldier appeared behind Pantherlily, but was taken down with a blast from Kyousuke's pistol. Kyousuke then set his sights on the corridor Gajeel went down into.

"He must've gone down into that one!"

"Are you sure?!" Pantherlily questioned. Kyousuke, however, was positive.

"We all took our own separate corridors, he had to of went down that one." Kyousuke explained. He headed in there as Pantherlily followed. Once again, they ran into another room like the base Pantherlily was trapped in earlier, except the walls and floor were white.

"They sure like to make things look interesting." Pantherlily commented as Kyousuke agreed.

"Interesting, but strange." Kyousuke said in response. Suddenly, they were ambushed by two other soldiers who threatened to blast them at point-blank range.

"Drop your weapon now!" They threatened as Pantherlily and Kyousuke froze. Before they could take action though, Daniel suddenly popped through, taking down both soldiers and immediately turning his attention to the other two. His expression slowly turned into shock as Kyousuke was quick with the details.

"It's Pantherlily!" He shouted as Pantherlily recognized it was Daniel.

"We don't have time to explain! We need to find Gajeel!" Kyousuke said, just as Daniel shook his head in frustration.

"Kyousuke, these corridors are somehow interconnected with one another. He's not in this one." Daniel explained, causing much frustration for the other two.

"Crap!" Kyousuke said in frustration. Daniel, though, also was ready to do something about it.

"Follow me. Maybe I can find him through here!" He shouted, taking off as the other two followed.

Finding Gajeel, however, would not be as easy as they hoped for it to be, for he was already near the Cloak of Nocturne. Walking through a dark hallway, he slowly approached a black cloak suspended within the air, oozing a dark mist as it was surrounded by darkness. One tainted with the light could never hope to become one with this ominous cloak, but Gajeel was the perfect candidate. His energies and the cloak resonated on the same vibration, for one must be dark to use it, not necessarily evil. Inches within his grasp, the cloak oozed the same mist, engulfing Gajeel's arm as it was tainted with the mist. His arm turned a dark purple and his Iron Dragon Scales were being brought out by the mist, thanks to its dark, brooding energies.

"It's mine." He said to himself calmly, reluctant to move as soldiers from the empire surrounded Gajeel. They all aimed their weapons at him, ready to take him out right then and there.

"The Xandolian Empire commands you to step away from the stone and leave it to us. If you refuse, we will open fire!" The leader of this group announced. Gajeel, however, looked at them and simply narrowed his eyes. Their threats left him unfazed.

"Then good luck trying to fire, you'll never hit me." Gajeel said with a sadistic grin. The soldiers then prepared to fire, ready to shoot him down as Gajeel became one with the cloak.

"Fire!" The leader shouted, immediately firing at Gajeel in the attempts of taking him down. Both bullets and magic bullets were rendered useless, for every hit was absorbed by the darkness of the cloak. Gajeel was now immersed within the cloak and his body turned black whilst oozing a dark purple aura. His body figure remained the same, but the only noticeable features were his eyes and mouth. The rest of his figure was simply emulated by its original shape.

"Time to take out the trash." Gajeel said sadistically as a dark purple mist oozed from his breath. "Iron Mist Dragon's Raining Cessation." Gajeel said calmly, proceeding with the spell as dark spears appear above the soldiers. Within seconds, they instantly came down onto the soldiers, killing them all with ease and leaving nothing but dead bodies and a cesspool of blood. Gajeel knew it was easy, and the taste of this power to him was simply delicious. He needed this kind of thrill in order to rejuvenate his energies. There was one soldier left whose confidence was murdered upon seeing the dead bodies, leaving him frozen as Gajeel simply walked by. He couldn't care what he would do, he had the cloak now, and that's all that mattered. "You're life isn't worth killing." Gajeel told the soldier, causing him to faint afterwards.

With that, Gajeel left the temple with the cloak. However, now that he had it, access to the temple would be restricted. The cloak acted as a support for the temple, and now without it, it cannot properly withstand its structure anymore. Gajeel used the cloak to escape from the temple, having enough faith in the other members for their escape. The temple started to shake and rattle, shocking Daniel, Kyousuke, and Pantherlily.

"This is going to go under!" Daniel stated, ready to get out of there.

"Let's get out of here!" Pantherlily ordered, taking the lead as everyone else followed. They managed to return to the main area within the temple and notice Sophia running out, to which they went after her. Speeding through the tunnel, the ceilings broke apart and crashed down as the incoming destruction approached them ever-more quickly with every passing second.

"We need to move!" Kyousuke shouted, grabbing both Daniel and Pantherlily. They were between that very slim moment of surviving and being crushed by the incoming destruction. Kyousuke, having grabbed Pantherlily and Daniel, transformed into a bolt of electricity and beamed his way out of the temple. Within seconds they escaped, and the entrance to the temple was closed off.

The three lied there on the ground, worn out from it all as Sophia noticed Gajeel's dark presence. She saw him in the cloak, and she had been afraid of this happening.

"Gajeel…" She said calmly, seeing how he just stood there and stared at her with those piercing eyes. The powerful look that he always had control of made it feel like he could see into one's soul and pick up everything about them instantly. Those eyes made it feel like they were a powerful force, cataclysmic as an enemy, but protective as a friend. She slowly walked up to him, regardless of his stare, and slowly pulled off the cloak. The dark mist that engulfed him evaporated and revealed the man that she always called her leader, the Gajeel that she knew. The look was the same, only with a grin being added onto it. Sophia couldn't help but smile as a result.

"For a leader, you are pretty freaking scary sometimes. You ought to control that." Sophia suggested playfully, only for Gajeel to instantly dismiss it.

"Ain't happening." He said calmly, walking up a bit as Sophia smiled. However, he stopped. He stopped upon the sight of something he would've never expected to see, and his expression instantly changed to that of great shock. Sophia noticed him freeze and wondered what was up. "Hey, is everything okay…" She said as she too froze. Her expression turned into complete shock as she saw the member of the group that once went missing; it was Pantherlily. Pantherlily got up and noticed the two of them staring at him in shock, only for him to suddenly start giving off the same expression.

"Lily…" Gajeel said in shock, frozen as Sophia put her hands on her mouth and began to tear up.

"Oh my gosh, it's you!" She said tearfully. Tears started pouring from her eyes as she couldn't help but cry out of bliss. She walked up and hugged Pantherlily tightly as Pantherlily hugged her back, still shocked himself. "Pantherlily, I missed you! I was afraid you were dead!" She shouted into him as she started crying. Her tears ran rampant as she couldn't help but cry over him, even when letting him go. Gajeel and Pantherlily couldn't help but stare at each other in complete shock over their reconciliation; the reconciliation of best friends. Suddenly, the two pulled each other in for a buddy-hug as Sophia rejoiced in Pantherlily's return.

"He's back! He's back!" She shouted as she continued to cry. Daniel felt relieved that the team was finally coming back together, suddenly turning his expression to Kyousuke, who watched it with a calm smile on his face.

"Welcome back to the team Lily!" Gajeel said happily, having that rare warm smile on his face. A tear even poured from his eye when no one was looking. Pantherlily felt back at home again.

"Thank you all for the warm welcome. However, I wouldn't have made it here if it weren't for Kyousuke." Pantherlily explained. He focused all the attention on him as Kyousuke looked at him in shock. "He's the one who saved me." Pantherlily stated, prompting Kyousuke to respond with a calm smile on his face.

"I did, didn't I?" He said rather calmly. Gajeel approached Kyousuke calmly, attracting Kyousuke's attention as the latter focused on him. Gajeel then gave Kyousuke his own buddy-hug, simply for pure gratitude.

"Thanks Kyousuke." He said, giving him a grin. Kyousuke had never been thanked by Gajeel personally, so he felt very happy and thankful for it. It felt so rare and unusual that it was simply exceptional.

"You've looked out for me, so I ought to return the favor." Kyousuke said calmly, prompting Gajeel to walk with him back to the ship. Not only did they get the cloak they were searching for, they also got their teammate back.

"Alright, we're heading back to the base! We got stuff to do tonight." Gajeel said, hinting to something special. It was time that the team got back into the groove.


	8. Chapter 8: Invisible Strings

Chapter 8: Invisible Strings

"Welcome back to the team Pantherlily!" Gajeel said, rejoicing while patting Pantherlily on the back. The team had finally regained its long lost member, and Gajeel thought it was a good idea to celebrate this fantastic achievement. I mean, why not? Wouldn't anyone celebrate over finding a long-lost friend? Drinking, partying, whatever the group could come up with, that was their way of having a blast. If it meant getting wasted from a bunch of beer in the fridge, then that was it. Unfortunately, this led to some uncertain mishaps, which included a drunken Daniel and Sophia. They decided on drinking up a bunch of whiskey they had stored up, but it would be accurate to say that they may have overdone it a bit, especially when Sophia decided to chuck her drinking glass at Gajeel for no reason whatsoever. Gajeel got angry and retorted immediately.

"Dammit, what the hell is your problem?!" Gajeel shouted angrily, only to receive a drunken Sophia laugh in response. She was clearly wasted, and nothing could top it, not even Daniel. Poor Daniel was only driven to sleep when drunk, so he had to sleep around a crazy maniac that unintentionally destroyed kitchen utensils.

"Oh…come on Gajeel. I'm just havin'...some fun right now. Take a drink...alright?" Sophia offered drunkenly. Gajeel, of course, wasn't stupid enough to get so easily intoxicated through an overdose of whiskey. In fact, he had no idea of where this whiskey appeared in the first place. The only good thing that came from it was that she wasn't angry all the time anymore, which could be considered a relief.

"Speaking of which, where the hell did you get that whiskey?"

"I got it from…" Sophia said drunkenly, unable to properly remember. It was already bad enough that her hair got contaminated within the whiskey, so it was sure to be sticky for quite a long time. Gajeel couldn't help but roll his eyes at her blatant stupidity, especially concerning her hair. She eventually remembered where the whiskey came from, quick to spew it without any restraint. "Oh yeah...Daniel got it from the liquor store! He...said it was for stress relief!"

"That ain't first time I've heard that before." Gajeel stated, knowing that was an excuse Daniel would use to drink. Rarely would Gajeel tolerate drinking in the group because of how bad Sophia was, as being demonstrated already. Because of that, Daniel would often sneak whiskey into the group and drink it himself, knowing how he is when he's drunk. Perhaps this is why he sleeps in so much? Sophia immediately drove the topic elsewhere though, deciding to get real intimate, much to Gajeel's dismay.

"Are you and Kyousuke gonna make out at some point?" She questioned blatantly. Gajeel couldn't restrain himself from blushing slightly in front of her, trying to play it off as if she was a crazy lunatic.

"What the hell are you talking about?! Nothing like that's gonna happen anytime soon." Gajeel retorted with annoyance. However, it only became more difficult for him to avoid it as Sophia got up close and personal, getting real deep with the subject.

"What do ya' mean, it's obvious you…wanna get down with him…don't you? He kept…staring at you back in the…temple when you took your shirt off!"

"Shut the hell up!" Gajeel yelled annoyed. He was about to slam her in the face when she pulled back and went into even further, unnecessary details.

"It's not like one of those things where ya hate each other and then wanna be friends, right? Just go...his heart is calling to you!" Sophia said. Unfortunately, she happened to unknowingly soil herself, much to Gajeel's disgust.

"Put a clean pair on and get your crap straight! You went too far already." Gajeel said annoyed. At that moment, Kyousuke happened to walk right into the room, coming across the group as Sophia focused her attention on him.

"Hey there's your friend with be…." She said before being pummeled by Gajeel with his Iron Dragon's Club. That was a close one, especially when Sophia was drunk. No one would be able to predict the foul and nasty crap that may come out of her mouth. Kyousuke looked at Gajeel surprised.

"What was that for?" Kyousuke said calmly. He walked with a bit of a wobble to it, which only indicated to Gajeel that he also was a bit intoxicated, which only made things worse. Kyousuke also kept smiling, which was abnormal for him. Would Kyousuke do as Sophia stated in this drunken state?

"She just needs to shut up for now, that's all." Gajeel said in response. Pantherlily, having been there the whole time, kept silent during this conversation that ensued. The most problematic part was hearing about Gajeel's "blown out of whack" interest in Kyousuke, especially when Sophia came out deciding to blurt out disgusting possibilities.

"You're not really going to do that, right Gajeel?" Pantherlily questioned, angering Gajeel unintentionally.

"Hell no! She's just a whack job out of her mind!" Gajeel retorted angrily. Hearing that must've rattled him a bit, especially since she put their relationship in such a vulgar theme (especially concerning what she had been saying before Daniel passed out). Kyousuke, being a bit drunk, made some information that he wanted to keep hidden slip out of his tongue unknowingly, which he may be upset over later. He walked around Gajeel, who wondered what he was doing, only to find Kyousuke suddenly playing with his hair. Luckily he took a shower after that disgusting jungle disaster he went through earlier, so it wasn't so smelly. "What the heck are you doing?" Gajeel questioned as Kyousuke put his head on his hair and smiled drunkenly.

"Do you sleep on this beautiful pillow every day?" Kyousuke questioned, being immersed within his hair. Gajeel turned around and Kyousuke lost his grip of the hair, immediately going after it as Gajeel stepped back from him and got into a defensive stance. Seeing Kyousuke approach him, Gajeel grabbed his shoulders and held him back, despite how much Kyousuke wanted to get to his hair.

"What's up with you? You need to calm down." Gajeel said calmly, to which Kyousuke continued fighting to get to his hair.

"But your hair is so long!"

"You're not gonna play with my hair! You're drunk!" Gajeel shouted, holding him back as Kyousuke continued to drunkenly struggle. Pantherlily could only stand by and watch in bewilderment as Kyousuke was held back by Gajeel, only resorting to hugging him instead as Pantherlily looked at him surprised.

"Is he normally like this?"

"No! He got wasted like the other two. At least it ain't as bad as what that out-of-whack woman is trying to tell me!" Gajeel shouted in annoyance. He could only walk around as Kyousuke held onto him, making things much more difficult as he approached Pantherlily and looked at him with an annoyed expression. Pantherlily was still in his battle-form and could remain in such for as long as he wanted in this world, which was a plus for him. Kyousuke then saw Pantherlily and went to hug him the same way he did Gajeel, putting him into a state of bafflement.

"What is he doing?" Pantherlily questioned as Kyousuke just held onto him. Now it was sure that it wasn't because of Kyousuke's relationship with Gajeel, he was just drunk.

"All he's doing is hugging you. Apparently this is what he becomes when he's drunk." Gajeel explained. Pantherlily could only just stand there as Kyousuke did because he couldn't get him off, eventually watching as Kyousuke too fell to sleep and hit the ground. Letting him go, Kyousuke slid down to his feet and passed out, sleeping calmly as Pantherlily could only stare in surprise. With that, only Gajeel and Pantherlily were awake, and even though they had fun, it was time to let the day go by. Gajeel decided to temporarily take on the role of "caretaker" and get them ready for what was to come tomorrow. "We've got stuff to do tomorrow; might as well call it a day." Gajeel said calmly. It was already late enough as it was, and so putting them to bed was the best option. Gajeel picked up Sophia and took her to her room as Pantherlily pulled Daniel into his. It was lucky for them that she was out; she would be a disaster to handle. After putting her to bed, Gajeel then came back and got Kyousuke, walking to his room and putting him in his bed. He put him in on his side just in case he may throw up so that he doesn't choke on it. Gajeel then just stood there, kneeling down and staring at Kyousuke, who was sleeping peacefully. Just seeing him there reminded Gajeel of his complex character, the way he would handle things, the connections he made. It also reminded him of how Kyousuke was telling him about what happened to him at Mega Dawn; the connection he sought for while being there.

" _It made me wonder if the same phenomenon happening in the school was finally happening to me_." He remembered Kyousuke say. The thought of it caused him to stare at the sleeping Kyousuke once again, standing up and putting a light smile on his face. He could easily confirm Kyousuke's analogy.

"It is happening to you," Gajeel said elated, "you are my partner."

With that, he walked out and shut the door, leaving him to sleep the rest of the night. Gajeel returned to the main area where Pantherlily was waiting for him, the latter wondering if they did have some sort of special connection.

"Do you share a connection with him?" Pantherlily questioned. Gajeel stared off into one of the walls as he replied.

"Yeah. Let's just say that he completes the team." Gajeel said calmly, surprising Pantherlily. He went into a little bit more detail about it. "Apparently it all started with this crap from a high school called Mega Dawn, where he…"

"Mega Dawn?!" Pantherlily questioned in shock. He received a perplexed look from Gajeel.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"There is some serious information regarding that school Gajeel. I've found out that the school has had some major involvement with the affairs of the Xandolian Empire."

"You can't be serious?!" Gajeel questioned in shock. Now the puzzle pieces were starting to gain their color; the truth behind Kyousuke's horrible past was soon to be revealed.

* * *

Hours later, which now can be considered the next day, Kyousuke woke up once again at 7:00. He got up and put his hand on his head in stress, remembering little about what happened, but at least knowing that he got wasted.

"Ah crap…" Kyousuke said tired. He got up and rubbed his eyes, stretching out and getting his muscles warmed up from feeling like a pretzel during his sleep. Waking up in the most uncomfortable of positions was something he dealt with a lot, and he didn't enjoy it one bit. "Now I know not to get plastered again." Kyousuke noted, remembering how he continued to hug Gajeel and Pantherlily. The thought of it embarrassed him somewhat, and he didn't want to do it the way he did it again. With that, he got up and got ready, heading out into the main area and being ready to eat something. As he did though, he came across Gajeel and Pantherlily, both standing there with serious expressions glued to their faces. They stared at Kyousuke with their arms crossed as Kyousuke looked at them both in surprise, wondering what they were up to.

"What are you doing?" Kyousuke questioned in surprise, watching as Gajeel was the first to explain.

"We've got some important information to tell you." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke looked at him surprised, wondering why he was so serious about it.

"So then, what makes it so important?"

"It has to do with Mega Dawn and your past." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke looked at him in shock, wondering what this was about. The adrenaline and shock surged through his body like a virus, causing him to just stand there and look at the two in shock. What the hell was this all about? Pantherlily decided to further explain.

"The Xandolian Empire has a connection with your school, and what they've done can be considered a threat to everyone if they proceed." Pantherlily explained. Kyousuke thought they would have some sort of involvement, but he was shocked that they found out about it first. Sophia and Daniel both came in afterwards, seeing the three and standing there confused.

"What's going on?" Sophia questioned, stretching as the group stared at her.

"We've got some important business to go over." Gajeel explained, putting the two into a state of surprise.

Because of this, the group decided to huddle up and discuss it. They went into a room in the hangar called their "Techno Gadgetry" room. It was where all their technology was stored and where they could do research regarding their missions. The group sat in chairs around a circular table as multiple screens were on, displaying maps of the planet, worldly locations, information and etc. Pantherlily started off.

"The reason why we're down here is to discuss the issues surrounding the Xandolian Empire's involvement with the Mega Dawn High School." Pantherlily explained, having everyone's attentions focused on him as he continued. "Years ago, the empire infiltrated the school in a basis of eliminating possible threats to their goals. They knew that our team would recruit members from colleges and universities in order to build up our strength, and so they would take control of them. Mega Dawn High School was a prime target, for it was where the Fairy Tail guild first landed." Pantherlily explained. Kyousuke was so attentive that everything he heard was quickly processed and analyzed; he wouldn't miss a thing. "Unfortunately, before the guild got involved with the school, the school was already taken over by the Xandolian Empire…"

"How exactly?" Kyousuke questioned, prompting Pantherlily to further explain.

"They were being manipulated through both nightmares and mental-brainwashing techniques." Pantherlily explained. A shocking possibility presented itself as Kyousuke sat there with widened eyes, listening as Pantherlily went on. "When the guild joined up with the school, the school managed to take out the guild-master by putting him into a state of paralysis, frozen in time."

"What?!" Gajeel questioned in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, surprising everyone else as Kyousuke was shocked as well. Pantherlily went on.

"With the guild-master out of the way, there would be no stopping them in taking over every other student in the school. They were ordered to eliminate any possible threats through subconscious matter inflicted as if it was their own choice, and anyone that didn't follow their code of conduct was classified as a threat, prompting them to eliminate the threat at all costs." Pantherlily explained. Kyousuke couldn't believe what he was hearing; they hated him because they were being controlled?

" _But it felt so real! They were doing it on purpose!_ " Kyousuke thought to himself angrily, not wanting to believe it. Suddenly, out of pure frustration, Kyousuke jumped up and ran out of the room, catching everyone's attention as he leaved.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" Sophia questioned in shock, earning no response as Kyousuke disappeared. Everyone could only look at the door in shock, wondering why he left. Pantherlily especially wondered if he unintentionally upset him.

"Was it something I said?" Pantherlily wondered as Gajeel shook his head.

"Nah, he's just got a rough past. Hearing this is probably stirring up his emotions and making him angry." Gajeel explained. He then proceeded to head after Kyousuke, leaving the group discussion temporarily. "I'm gonna go after him." Gajeel stated leaving as the group looked at him in surprise. Sophia's expression turned into sorrow as Daniel looked at her surprised.

"Dealing with a rough past? We all know what that's like." Sophia said calmly, thinking about Kyousuke as time passed. Gajeel eventually found Kyousuke sitting outside of the base on the same hillside as before, staring off into the lake. He walked up to him and stood behind him, getting his attention as Kyousuke looked at him surprised.

"Is hearing all that crap pissing you off?" Gajeel questioned curiously. Kyousuke shook his head.

"Somewhat I guess." Kyousuke said calmly. He put his focus back on the lake as Gajeel sat down next to him, seeing how distressed Kyousuke was. Why was he so upset? "It's just hard coming to realize that they did these things to me because they were being brainwashed." Kyousuke said calmly. He clenched his fists angrily, upset that his whole life was based on something out of even their control, and the whole time he was being manipulated by the Xandolian Empire. He hated it, yet feared it as well. "I hated them! They tried to kill me and murder me, and they already ruined my life, but it was all out of their control?! How the hell am I supposed to deal with that?!" Kyousuke shouted in shock. Gajeel just sat there and listened as Kyousuke vented his frustration, upset over the whole ordeal. "It's not right, having murdered them because they couldn't even realize what they were doing. In fact, I'm afraid about what I'm doing now; is this whole thing with being a part of the group and being close to you a part of their plan?! Am I meant to sabotage your feelings?!" Kyousuke shouted in shock. That last bit truly upset him; he didn't want to find that his feelings for him were artificial. He truly cared for him, and if he were to find out that it was all part of a plan to ultimately destroy Gajeel, he may just destroy himself. He was about to break down, becoming teary eyed as Gajeel put a hand on his shoulder. He knew that his feelings were as real as they could ever be.

"You're not being manipulated, don't worry about that." Gajeel said calmly, surprising Kyousuke. Kyousuke looked at him in a sense of relief, glad that he felt that way about him. "I've seen people being manipulated by them before. They lack tact, are emotionally empty, and they will kill off anyone that is 'important' to them." Gajeel explained. He then turned Kyousuke and put both hands on his shoulders, shaking him a bit to bring him back to reality. "I know how you feel about me, and I can tell when someone is giving me crap. You're being true to yourself." Gajeel said calmly, relieving Kyousuke. Kyousuke then immediately went in to hug Gajeel, the latter being surprised by it but accepting it.

"Thank you." He said calmly, prompting Gajeel to put a grin on his face. Kyousuke then looked at him and the grin he had on his face, wondering about him. It was always about Kyousuke's troubles, but Kyousuke never really knew what was going on inside of Gajeel. He wondered how he could keep his emotions under control, especially when dealing with the amount of stress he does daily; what was lingering under that tough, iron exterior of his?

With that, the two decided to head back to the rest of the group, who were still waiting for them. As Kyousuke entered, everyone's attention was focused on him as he slowly walked in, Daniel being the first to question him.

"Hey, are you okay?" He questioned calmly, just as Kyousuke looked at him surprised. Following that was a calm smile on his face, ready to continue.

"I'm fine. We should keep discussing what's going on in the school." Kyousuke said calmly, everyone else agreeing as the discussion was put back on track. Pantherlily decided to continue with the discussion.

"Alright, since we know that the school is being manipulated by the empire, we need to figure out how to break them from their control. Some of us will have to head into the school." Pantherlily explained. Sophia was quick to take charge.

"Me and Gajeel can go in." Sophia exclaimed, prompting Kyousuke to immediately object.

"No! Gajeel and I can go in." Kyousuke responded, immediately prompting Sophia to disagree.

"You know what they did to you, so why go back?! They'll immediately go after you!" Sophia argued, to which Kyousuke retorted. He was being incredibly stubborn about it.

"It's my past and my school!" Kyousuke shouted, inflicting surprise within her and the others. He took a deep breath and went on. "One of the reasons I joined this group was to escape the people I hated in that school. I ran away from my problems, and I didn't know how to end them. Let me have a second chance at putting a stop to the madness that lurks within that ridiculous building, let me end the problems that stemmed from there." Kyousuke explained. The group was put into surprise, Sophia especially. The amount of emotion inflicted within that explanation was impressive, but she wasn't convinced. She crossed her arms, still reluctant as Gajeel came over and put a hand on his shoulder, agreeing.

"Let him go." Gajeel said, prompting Sophia to immediately respond.

"But but…."

"He's got issues regarding that school, so let him fix them. Besides, he's knows it better than the rest of us." Gajeel explained. He was on Kyousuke's side, ready to let him go as Sophia relaxed herself, giving into his decision. She felt that maybe she was being too protective, especially concerning how much of an individualist he was.

"Alright, just be careful. Keep yourself level-headed and don't let anything get to you." Sophia said encouragingly, winking as Kyousuke smiled in response. The group then continued with a plan, making a layout as the group formulated it.

"Our first task is to figure out what is allowing for the manipulation." Pantherlily explained. "Once we figure that out, we'll have to find out a way to eliminate it."

"Not much leeway for a plan; we don't really know anything about it." Daniel stated in confusion. However, Pantherlily knew that there was more to it.

"There's an important component the empire needs in order to proceed with their plan, and it resides within the school." Pantherlily explained, prompting shock within everyone.

"What is it?" Gajeel questioned calmly, listening as Pantherlily explained.

"It's the Dagger of Radiance; a dagger with the ability to create light that can be used as a weapon. It also gives form to one's dreams." Pantherlily explained. Daniel seemed a bit confused over it, especially concerning the Cloak of Nocturne.

"I find it strange that they would want to couple that with the Cloak of Nocturne." He stated, catching Sophia's attention.

"Why is that?"

"The two items are at odds with one another; light and darkness don't mix." Daniel explained. Kyousuke, however, was quick to disagree.

"Not if you see it like Yin and Yang." Kyousuke explained, surprising him.

"Yin-Yang?"

"The idea that balance creates a perfect world. One cannot exist without the other, which also means that light and darkness coexist in the same world." Kyousuke explained, surprising the group. He went on. "The Cloak of Nocturne allows for one's deepest desires to be revealed, and this dagger seems to reveal one's dreams. The reason why both are used together is to give way to a form of creation; new worlds at the hands of one's mind." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel and Pantherlily were quick to pick up on it as the former explained further.

"Daydreams. All you need to do is use the two in sync and you can turn them into a reality." Gajeel explained, putting everyone else into shock.

"Daydreams becoming a reality?!" Daniel questioned in shock. Sophia was also surprised.

"Knowing that, who knows what the empire may choose to do with them."

"That's why if we get it first, we'll have a much better chance at stopping them. It'll be game over if they get their hands on it and the cloak." Pantherlily explained. Daniel was quick to start formulating a plan, ready to get it before the empire did.

"Do you know where it is?"

"All I know is that it's being safeguarded in the school, nothing else." Pantherlily calmly stated, prompting Daniel to come up with a plan.

"Alright, knowing that, we can set up a search-party to investigate. It's obvious that Gajeel and Kyousuke are heading into the school, so me and Sophia can both navigate them outside of the school, also keeping check on anything strange that may take place. Pantherlily can also help by doing research regarding what the Xandolian Empire is doing, if they are or aren't actually in the school, and what their next plan is." Daniel explained. Everybody nodded in agreement, also putting their hands in the center and lifting them up, acting as a sort of motivation for the team.

With that, the team got prepared, ready to take off. It wasn't long before Sophia and Daniel were ready to take off, just as Gajeel and Kyousuke were heading down into the hangar. This time they wouldn't be taking the NovaGlider, but instead be taking individual helicopters that'll allow for them to infiltrate the school individually and allow for recording of information. Kyousuke was headed into Sophia's as Gajeel was headed into Daniel's, but they both had a small talk before entering.

"You know," Kyousuke said calmly, getting his attention, "when we head back, I'm going to be so anticipated for their reaction to you being my partner."

"Yeah, and I'm gonna give Salamander the pounding he deserves." Gajeel explained, pounding his fists together. With that, the two fist-bumped each other and headed in, ready to take off. Sophia and Daniel both gave each respective member their headpieces so they could stay in contact, proceeding to take off afterwards as Pantherlily wasn't far behind. It's time for the reunion.


	9. Chapter 9: Mega Dawn MaDness

Chapter 9: Mega Dawn MaDness

It was the school once again, the school that proclaimed itself to be the greatest of all schools, the school that one could go to in order to achieve their dreams, the school where horror began to surface. It was Mega Dawn High School, and nothing seemed right in it anymore. The school retained everything it normally had, but nothing seemed real; the reality was replaced with nothing but numbness and empty feelings. People talked and had fun, yes, but it was much quieter and the energy that lurked amongst the school was murky and gross. The liveliness that it once had was gone, not that anyone seemed to notice. Everyone acted as if everything was normal, but of course that wasn't true. Anyone who was considered an "outsider" to the place would immediately notice the difference.

Strangely enough, someone named Roxanne Laurel was able to pick up on this strange energy whilst being considered an ally in the building. For days, months, even years, Roxanne could tell that there was something wrong, but her eyes fooled her. Something was off, yet she didn't know, so she put it aside and deemed it a minor issue. How could she possibly know when everything else seemed perfectly fine? Nothing had happened to her, or Erza, and she thought that the reason Kyousuke had all his issues thrown at him was because of his lack of a partner as he originally assumed himself. Yet, even that assumption somehow seemed off, but what else was there to say? She walked through the building into the cafeteria, seeing everyone eating their food and talking as usual, thinking about the school once more. Erza was elsewhere tidying up on the school's organization, so she wasn't with her. In fact, not everyone was at the cafeteria; some of them were still in class. A calm expression covered her face as she just stared about while her thoughts took over.

" _Of course, it's the same thing once again_." She thought to herself, having expected it as usual. She turned to her left and noticed the lunch-ladies serving people the food they ordered, letting the strange feeling that lingered within her to nest itself. " _Everything looks normal, yet something is off. It's been like this for years_." Roxanne thought to herself calmly, continuing to observe. " _However, Kyousuke has been gone for several days. I remember seeing him on the TV screen when watching the performance; did he make it into the team?_ " Roxanne questioned. If he did, she would've been happy about it. She knew of the pain that he endured here in this school and all the madness that he couldn't get away from, and so knowing that he made the team would make her feel complacent on the inside. " _As long as he doesn't have to deal with the crap here, I'm happy for him_." Roxanne said calmly. At that moment, a strange possibility entered her mind, perplexing her once more and bringing up a shocking sequence of events. " _What if...he knew about this as well? What if his pain and struggle here was somehow tied to it, and he left the school in order to deal with it?_ " Roxanne questioned. However, she immediately dismissed it. " _No, it couldn't be. How could he know? I don't even know a single clue that could lead me to any solution regarding this strange energy, so how far could he have gone? Perhaps I'm just overthinking this_." Roxanne thought to herself stress-fully. She shook her head lightly to knock out the negativity entering her, only to meet face-to-face with the Dragon Slayer that knew how to annoy her.

"Roxanne, what's up?" Dayton questioned, standing right in front of her as she looked up at him surprised. Of course he had to come in and disrupt her thought process, but perhaps that was a good thing.

"I'm just thinking about stuff." Roxanne said calmly, provoking his curious nature to take over.

"Yeah, about what?" Dayton wondered. Roxanne couldn't tell him; he wouldn't understand. He was a one-track-minded individual, and Roxanne felt that he wouldn't be able to catch onto her questioning of the building they were standing in.

"It's nothing to worry about Dayton, just weird ideas and all."

"Well then what are you doing just standing here; come over and sit down with us!" Dayton encouraged, referring to Natsu and Happy at one of the tables. Dayton started heading back to them as Roxanne took a deep breath, trying to relax herself.

" _I should probably just stay level-headed and not get caught up in this stuff again. Just relax…"_ She thought to herself as she headed over to the table they were at. Both Natsu and Happy were eating away at a bunch of roasted chicken as Dayton was eating spaghetti. Roxanne would often get disgusted with their behavior in the cafeteria and punch them in the face, especially if they managed to get her completely covered in food, literally. They could get extremely messy and often her hair would be replaced by spaghetti strings that she would have to wash out of her hair later in the day. However, not even those possibilities could put a halt to the thoughts that kept crawling out of her brain. She just sat there, thinking about it again as the other three noticed, questioning her once again.

"Are you sure it's nothing important?" Dayton questioned, catching her attention once more. Roxanne looked at him surprised as both he and Natsu looked at her in wonder, not concern, but wonder. Roxanne, strangely enough, felt emptiness in the compassion they tried to place on their faces, which put great shock into her, but she wouldn't reveal that.

"Yeah, I'm sure Dayton. Don't worry about it." Roxanne said calmly. Natsu only continued to persist, much to her dismay.

"You've been acting like this for a while Roxanne, something must've happened." Natsu said, picking up on it. Happy flew around with a fish in his grasp.

"Did you forget to eat your favorite fish?" Happy questioned, annoying Roxanne somewhat.

"Yeah, I did." Roxanne said sarcastically. Dayton, however, was quick to bring something surprising to her attention.

"You know that Kyousuke's been gone for a while, is it that?" Dayton questioned, surprising Roxanne somewhat.

"What makes you say that?"

"He's been gone for seven days," Natsu said in response, "and ever since you've been up and down and everything."

"Is that right?" Roxanne questioned calmly, knowing what he said is true. She did worry about him, even when he was gone, even in all the hatred the others held for him. Ironically enough, Natsu and Dayton couldn't understand how she could feel this way.

"Why don't you just forget him?" Dayton questioned in surprise, angering Roxanne "He doesn't even deserve to be here anyway."

"The only reason he left is because people hated him for not having a partner. I don't see how not having a partner is an issue." Roxanne stated annoyed, crossing her arms and becoming defensive as Natsu was quick to engage.

"You saw what he did; he's murdered people! There's something wrong with you if you don't think that should be enough to not trust him." Natsu said angrily. He really didn't like Kyousuke, especially after the incident he had with him way back, so seeing him gone inflicted relief within him. Roxanne, however, only became more angry, perhaps more angry with him than ever before.

"Do you even know why he has murdered people? I bet you don't!"

"Doesn't matter, he's dangerous and that's all that matters." Natsu said calmly. She couldn't believe her ears, slamming her hands on the table and bringing all their attentions to her.

"I can't believe this; the great Natsu Dragneel can't even see past the crap that's falling before him!"

"What did you say?!" Natsu said angrily, getting up to her face to face. He was very angry with her, but so was she.

"You heard me; you just followed everyone else! Not once have I ever hated him because of what other people think, and that's why I think there's something wrong! Haven't you ever thought twice about what you were doing?!"

"He came up to me and cussed me out; I don't need a reason to hate him! Have you even seen the things he does to people?!"

"Yeah, I have! That's why I'm siding with him! Come on Natsu; be realistic here!" Roxanne said, angering Natsu. He eventually got fed up.

"You want me to be realistic?" He questioned, surprising Roxanne. "If you like him so much, you can go with him and when we find you, we'll take you both down. You're just a traitor!" Natsu yelled angrily. Roxanne couldn't believe what she was hearing; it made her want to cry.

" _Natsu...why? Why are you being so mean to me? I just believe there's something wrong_." She thought to herself sadly. Natsu, shockingly, continued to insult her and hurt her feelings.

"I should've burned him into a pile of ashes when I had the chance." Natsu said angrily, pushing Roxanne to the limit. She had it, she couldn't take it anymore; the anger was so bad at this point. Even Dayton grew fearful as he could see her shaking uncontrollably over how pissed she was, and she wasn't about to let it just seethe through her.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" She screamed, punching Natsu in the face with an impact powerful enough to send him flying feet away. Everyone's attention was shifted to them in shock, wondering what was happening as Natsu got up and noticed his cheek was swollen, looking at Roxanne angrily. She was clearly angry, tired of his bull-crap. "I've had enough of you! I thought you would understand, but I guess I was wrong." Roxanne said calmly. Natsu, however, wanted payback.

"You wanna fight me?" Natsu questioned, earning an angry look from Roxanne. "I'll destroy you."

"I'd like to see you try you flame-headed moron. You'll be lucky if you survive." Roxanne explained in a dark tone, angering him even more. Dayton tried to stop the fight, starting with Roxanne.

"What the hell are you doing?! Why don't you understand that Kyousuke's the enemy?!"

"HE'S NOT THE ENEMY!" Roxanne screamed putting him into complete shock as everyone else was also sent into shock. She regained her control, being able to properly maneuver whilst being angry. "You just don't get it, do you? Now I understand why Kyousuke lost faith in everyone." Roxanne said sadly, shocking Dayton on a whole other level. He couldn't understand her faith in him, more so why she would be willing to break ties with Natsu in order to defend Kyousuke.

"You didn't have to do this." Dayton said sadly, watching as Roxanne quickly dismissed it.

"Too late now; what hurts me most is your willingness to sever ties with me over him." Roxanne said, trying to restrain herself from crying. She couldn't believe it, and it hurt her deeply. How could her best friends betray her so easily? Erza wasn't there, so she would be fighting Natsu on her own.

Suddenly, everything was ended when someone else called out a peculiar sight.

"Look who's returned!" He shouted, looking at someone lying against one of the cafeteria walls. Roxanne turned to look, suddenly being sent into a state of incredulity. Her eyes widened, her posture froze, and she had no choice but to continuously stare at the shocking sight that met her eyes.

"No...way…" She said in shock. "He's here."

Yes, it was indeed Kyousuke Watanabe, the one student who everybody hated, standing there in the school once again. He had his arms crossed and was looking at the ground with a fixed gaze, thoughts running through his head as he received stares from everyone.

"Get him! Take him out!" Someone shouted as he, along with two others, approach Kyousuke and prepared to attack him. Kyousuke, however, was faster, immediately stomping on the floor and creating an electronic shockwave that paralyzed the three who attempted to attack him, electrocuting them and rendering them unable to fight. He just stood there with the same expression as Natsu turned his attention to him, intent on taking him out then and there.

"So, you've decided to return huh?" Natsu questioned, popping his knuckles as he angrily looked at Kyousuke. The latter continued to stand still, choosing not to move for it wasn't necessary.

"Yeah, that's right. Still as stupid as ever I see."

"What was that?!" Natsu questioned angrily, surprising everyone as Kyousuke went on.

"I was here listening to you fight with her; it seems she knows what she's talking about." Kyousuke said, putting Roxanne into a state of shock. Everyone else was also in shock, but not like Roxanne. "I know she used to follow me around and watch me struggle against those who fell prey to the school's stunt. You're no better, having become suckered in and letting your strings be pulled. How does it feel to be such a pawn, Natsu?"

"You want to say that to my face?!" Natsu angrily challenged, prompting no extreme reaction from Kyousuke, which angered him even more.

"I thought last time I told you to stay out of my life; did you forget?"

"Alright, I've had enough of this!" Natsu shouted angrily, charging for Kyousuke head on. "You're gonna pay for everything you've done!" Natsu yelled angrily as Kyousuke just stood there. Roxanne was quite worried, wondering what he may do as she was about to go after him. However, right before Natsu could land a hit onto Kyousuke, he was suddenly hit with an Iron Dragon's Club, sending him flying as the Iron Dragon Slayer walked in and took Kyousuke's side. Everyone looked at him in wonder as Natsu was sent flying into a wall, getting up afterwards and looking at him with the same expression. No shock, just wonder. Gajeel popped his knuckles in front of a shocked Roxanne as he had his attention focused on Natsu, ready to fight him again.

"Long time no see Salamander. How's things been?" Gajeel questioned with a grin on his face. Shockingly enough, he earned only a perplexed look.

"Who the heck are you?" Natsu questioned in surprise. Everyone else had the same look on their faces, surprising and annoying Gajeel.

"Come on Salamander, it's me, Black Steel Gajeel! We are in the same guild."

"Nope, nothing; don't ever remember you from before." Natsu said, annoying Gajeel even more. Kyousuke noticed and could tell that something was off.

"Do you think it might be a side-effect?" Kyousuke questioned, Gajeel agreeing.

"It's gotta be; there ain't no way this flame-headed moron doesn't remember me. It looks like we've got some extra work to do." Gajeel said in annoyance, walking with Kyousuke as the two walked through the school. No one tried to stop them; instead continuously staring at them as the two ignored it. Dealing with all the attention was not what they needed to focus on at that point in time, so they only ignored it. Roxanne, however, wasn't about to let them just walk by. She quickly jumped in-front of the two and stopped them, inflicting surprise within the two.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" She said, spreading her arms out as she stopped the two, both looking at her surprised. "I know something happened at the demonstration for Stealth Overdrive Kyousuke. Would I be right to assume that you passed the test?" Roxanne wondered. Kyousuke looked at her perplexed before Gajeel intervened.

"Yeah, he passed. The reason why we're here is because there's some crazy crap going on with your school." Gajeel explained, shocking Roxanne.

"Crazy crap?" Roxanne said in shock as Gajeel nodded. She knew there was something off. " _It seems that my worries have been confirmed. There is something wrong with this place."_ Roxanne thought to herself shocked. The two were about to take off before Roxanne halted them again, going on a little bit more. "I've sensed something off for a while now myself. It may sound strange, but let me help you two out. Even Natsu isn't acting normal." Roxanne said in shock, convincing the two that Pantherlily's assertion was correct.

"We thought so." Gajeel said in response. Gajeel was about to take off, informing Kyousuke of such as he was being guided by Daniel. "I'm gonna take off and do a little bit of searching on my own. You go do yours." Gajeel explained as Kyousuke nodded. With that he took off, heading to his right and entering a set of doors that led elsewhere as Kyousuke turned his focus to Roxanne. Roxanne looked at him in surprise and wonder, continuously thinking of what he may do to her next.

"If you want to help, you can help me out." Kyousuke said as Roxanne nodded. She was willing to help him out if necessary.

"Alright, but let me take you to Erza. I've been telling her about everything strange that's been happening, and if you don't mind, she can be a very helpful teammate." Roxanne explained. Kyousuke wasn't opposed to the idea, having not gotten into any sort of hateful dilemma with her.

"Okay then, lead the way." Kyousuke said. With that the two took off, unknowingly followed by a strange group of wizards. Roxanne was happy that Kyousuke had returned, and she was surprised that he didn't hate her.

" _I didn't think he actually made it into the group. Somehow though, he's changed. He's changed and has become….more….mature I guess_." Roxanne thought to herself. She immediately shook her head as she continued to search. " _No...not mature. It's more like…..healed?_ " Roxanne thought to herself. At that moment, she ran into the classroom in which Erza was sitting at a student desk doing some paperwork, catching her attention. "Erza! We've got a problem on our hands." Roxanne explained, unable to deter her sight from Kyousuke as a look of disbelief was plastered to her face.

"It's him!" Erza shouted. She was a bit defensive, but didn't engage him in combat. Roxanne was quick to step in and settle everything right then and there.

"It's okay; he's on our side!"

"On our side?" Erza questioned. She was a bit skeptical, but thanks to Roxanne having explained info about Kyousuke to her over the year, she wasn't resentful of him.

"You know that strange energy we've discussed?"

"Yes?"

"It apparently is an issue, and he's here to fix it."

"Is he?" Erza questioned. Before she could further question him, however, the group was ambushed by a group of wizards including Natsu, Dayton, Lucy, Gray, and Axel (his partner). Erza was in surprise. "What are all of you doing here?" She questioned in surprise. They didn't respond, however, more focused on Kyousuke and his "elimination".

"It's been determined that Kyousuke is a threat to us and the school. We've decided to eliminate him immediately." Gray explained, putting the three into a state of shock.

"Eliminate him?!" Erza questioned in shock, "But why?!"

"He's a threat Erza; you can't just let a threat run rampant throughout the school." Lucy said, set on eliminating him as well.

"Lucy?!" Roxanne questioned in shock, baffled at how even she could follow through with this. It was already clear to them to that there was something seriously wrong going on in the school.

"Lucy would never say something like that! Who are you?!" Erza questioned in shock, receiving a shocked look from Lucy.

"What are you talking about, I'm Lucy, duh!" She said in response, unable to convince her.

"You're lying! I can tell!" Erza shouted. Kyousuke, however, knew the whole thing all along.

"Hate to break it to you, but that's the real thing." Kyousuke explained, putting the two into shock.

"That's really Lucy and Gray and Natsu?!" Erza shouted in shock as Kyousuke explained.

"Yeah, but they're being brainwashed. That's why they're not acting normal." Kyousuke explained, unable to continue as Natsu immediately went to attack.

"It's time to end you here and now!" Natsu yelled, preparing to use his Fire Dragon's Iron Fist on him. Kyousuke, however, immediately blocked it, punching him in the stomach and immediately sending him flying back with his Electric Dragon's Pulse Wave. A blue pulse appeared on his stomach, electrocuting him and sending him flying into the others, resulting in one huge collision. During that time, Kyousuke pulled out his beam and prepared to use it.

"Grab onto me!" Kyousuke shouted, putting them into surprise.

"Grab onto you?"

"Just do it!" Kyousuke shouted, prompting them to immediately do so as Kyousuke then teleported out of the area. Using the beam, Kyousuke managed to teleport them into a ventilation passageway in the school, a safe area compared to the one they were in before. Kyousuke was quick to inform them of everything.

"I know you have a lot of questions to ask, but let me tell you this: we don't have a lot of time. I'll explain everything I know so you understand what's going on, and then we can get started on a course of action." Kyousuke explained. Knowing that, both Erza and Roxanne remained calm as Kyousuke prepared to go into detail. He took a deep breath before explaining. "Well to start, the most important thing you need to know is that the school is being manipulated." Kyousuke explained, putting them into shock.

"Being manipulated?" Roxanne questioned in surprise. "By who?"

"The Xandolian Empire." Kyousuke explained, putting the two into shock.

"That wretched group has been manipulating the school?!" Erza questioned in shock as Kyousuke nodded.

"The worst part is that they've been doing it for a whole year now. They took out the guild-master and then proceeded to brainwash everyone in the school." Kyousuke explained. The two couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"That's explains a lot." Roxanne said calmly. Erza still wondered of certain things though.

"Everyone seemed like they were acting normal, so how would they be brainwashed?" Erza questioned, as Kyousuke thought into it.

"They're being brainwashed subconsciously. The empire sends in signals to indicate their next action, but it's done in a way that makes the wizards feel like they're doing it out of their own free will." Kyousuke explained. Erza was angry when hearing that.

"How despicable! To think that we've been having our strings pulled this whole time!" Erza said angrily, being upset over it as Roxanne couldn't believe it either. Roxanne, however, had thought of something that she hadn't thought of before.

"Hold on, if the school was supposed to be brainwashed, then how come the three of us aren't brainwashed? We're all from the same school, yet I don't feel a need to eliminate you." Roxanne explained. Kyousuke realized that was true and took a moment to think it over. It was thanks to his memory that he was able to find an explanation.

"Remember the day when the school had a 'gasoline leakage'?" Kyousuke remembered, prompting Roxanne to remember as well.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"That was the day everyone got brainwashed. The whole school was engulfed within some sort of yellow smoke, which contained the substance the empire was using in order to brainwash everyone. I wasn't there on that day, and neither were you two." Kyousuke explained, which the other two remembered.

"That's right." Erza said calmly. Suddenly, large explosions were heard outside of the vent, inflicting shock within the three.

"What the hell is going on?!" Erza questioned in surprise. Kyousuke could only guess what it could possibly be.

"The school is going on a rampage. They're destroying everything to find us." Kyousuke explained, and it was true. The entire cafeteria was completely demolished and everyone was going mad, even the lunch ladies. Natsu was wreaking havoc in the halls with Lucy and the others, desperately trying to find Kyousuke as the others did similar things. Kyousuke couldn't help but think of how ridiculous the whole ordeal actually was.

"And to think that this whole thing started because of my lack of a partner." Kyousuke explained. He couldn't believe as much as the others did. Erza looked at him in surprise, remembering all the problems that had arisen because of that, and especially how he had suddenly disappeared.

" _He's been gone for a whole week, so he must've found someone._ " Erza explained, immediately asking him. "Tell me, who is your partner?" Erza questioned with a serious tone. She was intent on finding out, for there were many members of the guild that weren't at the school, which not only made her worry, but it also upset her. Roxanne looked at Kyousuke surprised, remembering the person he came in with earlier. The long, black, spiky hair and red eyes, coupled with a piercing expression that resembled Kyousuke's own. Kyousuke was quick to inform them.

"He's someone with an iron soul and an equally iron head." Kyousuke explained, Erza looking at him surprised. It couldn't be him.

"You don't mean...Gajeel…"

"Yep, that's him." Kyousuke said, putting Erza into a state of shock. Both Erza and Roxanne were surprised, but that wasn't all. "Not only that, but he's also the leader of the Stealth Overdrive force."

"What?!" They both shouted in shock. "So everything we've been hearing about the group is about him?!"

"That's right." Kyousuke said calmly. While Erza was surprised to hear it, she couldn't help but put a smile on her face as a result, crossing her arms at it.

"I wouldn't have expected any less from him. He is an Iron Dragon Slayer after all." Erza said whilst smiling. Seeing him as a leader made her feel proud of him somehow, and it was a good feeling.

As for that Iron Dragon Slayer, he was walking through a hallway within the school in search of that dagger. Having Kyousuke try to stop the brainwashing would be helpful in his quest for the dagger since it was such an important item to get ahold of.

"As long as he's focused on fixing the mess this school's in, I shouldn't have a problem getting to that dagger." Gajeel explained, continuing on. He eventually found himself in a small area containing a bunch of stuff, sort of like a storage area. It was dusty and dirty, had lots of stuff lying around and was overall quite messy. Gajeel just scratched the back of his neck upon noticing this mess. "It looks like I'll have to sort through all of this in order to get it." Gajeel said calmly. Daniel was on the headset with him, so he was able to help.

"It's in there alright; you'll have to do a bit of digging though. I'm not sure if the empire set it up to be like this or if this happened naturally, but the good thing is that it's there." Daniel explained. Gajeel was about to start sorting through it all until he came across something rather strange, hearing someone behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?" A male, domineering voice said. Gajeel and Daniel could already smell trouble heading their way.

"This doesn't sound good." Daniel said, Gajeel turning and noticing a larger, blonde male standing there with a stern expression on his face.

"Last time I checked, this area was off limits, so why don't you get moving and get the hell out of here? If you don't, things are gonna get ugly." The larger male told Gajeel, who was unfazed. The larger male stood there with yellow lighting emitting from his body, standing in a domineering fashion as Gajeel simply stared at him. He was surprised to meet him in here of all places.

"Well look who it is; it seems that Laxus decided to show up to the party." Gajeel said with a grin on his face. The two stared at each other with powerful expressions as Daniel was quick to do calculations. Luckily enough, Daniel was able to go through a process which allowed him to compare any opponent's strength to Gajeel's, which could be considered very helpful. Upon doing the calculations, he came upon a shocking result.

"This won't be the easiest of struggles; you're on the exact same caliber as he is." Daniel explained, providing much shock for Gajeel. Laxus still stood there in that domineering fashion still, ready to fight as Gajeel looked at him in surprise.

"Is that so?" Gajeel said with excitement, "I'll admit, he would've been able to wipe the floor with me in the past, but that ain't happening this time. This is gonna be one hell of a fight." Gajeel said whilst popping his knuckles. He was excited to fight Laxus on equal terms, especially since he had gotten much stronger. He was ready to put his skills to the test against the S-Class wizard, the latter preparing to take off.

"I warned you, now you're in for a world of pain!" Laxus shouted, taking off towards Gajeel as he stood there waiting for his attack. Gajeel would have one hell of a time fighting Laxus.

Back to Kyousuke, he was still in the vent with Erza and Roxanne, and it wasn't long before he got an important notice from Sophia, one of urgency.

"Kyousuke! You need to get out of there!" Sophia shouted. Kyousuke was put into confusion.

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Everyone is gaining up on you, and they're getting closer with every second. You better get out of there now!" Sophia urged, noticing how Natsu and his gang were getting closer to them with every passing second. Kyousuke decided to get out of there immediately.

"They're gaining up on us; we need to get out of here!"

"How do you know?!" Roxanne questioned, Kyousuke being quick to respond.

"It's through my headset, now let's go!" Kyousuke shouted pulling out his beam and having the other two grab onto him. With that he teleported once again, moving to another location. They managed to land in the opposite end of the school from where Gajeel was, allowing them to cover some major ground and get away from everyone. Kyousuke was quick with a plan, pulling out three tan balls and handing one of them to Erza and Roxanne respectively. "These are special devices that store special orbs that I call Brainerasers. Using them allows for you to erase the brainwashing mechanism behind the wizards and restore them to normal." Kyousuke said. Erza, of course, was a bit skeptical.

"Are you sure these work?"

"They've been tested, they work." Kyousuke assured. With that, the group decided to split up and take their own separate routes in stopping this madness. "If you manage to stop a group of people, continue find other groups of people. If you meet up with one of us, stick together and keep clearing out everyone, understand?" Kyousuke explained as the two nodded. With that, they took off, going after everyone ready to take them out. Kyousuke on his way to restore everyone to normal and Gajeel fighting Laxus while obtaining the dagger, where shall this go?


	10. Chapter 10: Iron vs Lightning

**A/N: I added Pantherlily to the poll on my profile page. I said this before, but go vote! Seeing your opinion would make me happy :)**

Chapter 10: Iron vs. Lightning

It was on! The all appraised S-Class wizard Laxus Dreyar vs the stronger, more powerful Gajeel Redfox. This was going to be one hell of a fight. Laxus, ironically wearing the same outfit as in Kardia Cathedral, took off and attempted to land a direct, lightning infused punch to Gajeel as the latter dodged it, immediately attacking with his Iron Dragon's Club and sending him flying back. Daniel was tactfully encouraging him as the fight itself progressed, creating an analysis from their stats alone.

"Remember, your iron makes for a perfect conductor for his lightning, so be careful." Daniel warned. Gajeel, however, already knew of that.

"I've gotten a taste of how his lightning works. It may have been quite powerful before, but this is a totally different kind of game." Gajeel explained whilst grinning. Daniel couldn't fully catch onto what he was trying to get at, but Laxus nevertheless charged at him once again.

"Is that the best you can do? I'm amused." Laxus said cockily, letting his ego take control as Gajeel was unimpressed. He expected this kind of thing from him.

"What, are you gonna let your precious ego run with you again?"

"If you're so confident, quit running your mouth and fight me." Laxus said, prompting Gajeel to take off after him.

"You're the one who's running their mouth lighting-breath!" Gajeel yelled, immediately attacking with his Iron Dragon's Club once again as Laxus took off. He transformed into a bolt of lightning, bolting around and attempting to get behind Gajeel and take him down from there, a trick Gajeel anticipated. " _He's fast, but I've got power."_ Gajeel thought to himself, immediately using his Iron Dragon's Sword and destroying a large portion of the wall whilst taking Laxus out, who reverted back to his human state. Laxus tried guarding against the sword but couldn't fully comprehend it as Gajeel threw him into a wall, only for him to get up and attack Gajeel head on. As they clashed, energy was being shot out, powerful enough to make visible ripples within the air as they blocked each other's punches and threw their own. Laxus threw a punch to the face which Gajeel blocked, going for his stomach as Laxus grabbed his arm.

"Got you!" Laxus shouted, surprising Gajeel as he was about to hit him in the face, only to meet head on with his fist. They their fists collided with one another, stumbling back from each other as they painfully dealt with the effects. Gajeel had to deal with the pain of Laxus' lightning as Laxus was already in pain over Gajeel's iron fists. Laxus, however, still managed to keep up the cocky attitude. "You think your iron's going to stop me? What a load of crap." Laxus said egotistically, annoying Gajeel as the latter retorted.

"Then quit whining over how much it hurts." He scoffed, only angering Laxus as he once again went after him. He approached him with the same kind of style, turning into a bolt of lightning as he got behind Gajeel. Unfortunately, he was quick enough to pull it off and land a hit to Gajeel's face, sending him flying back before Laxus grabbed his arm tightly.

"Got you again!" Laxus shouted, immediately prompting to deliver a long series of punches to Gajeel's face as the latter couldn't help but take them. Daniel couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Come on Gajeel! Do something!" Daniel shouted, annoying Gajeel as he continued to receive punches. Laxus only continued to be cocky about it.

"See that?! That shows how much of a pathetic wizard you are!" Laxus shouted with pride, only annoying Gajeel. Eventually, Gajeel got fed up and pulled Laxus in as he kneed him in the chest, proceeding with a powerful upward punch to the jaw before round-house kicking him and sending him flying into the wall. Gajeel had some bruises on his face as a result of all that punching, but that hit to the jaw was powerful, and it hurt Laxus big time. Gajeel, however, did not like Daniel's advice on the fight, preferring to fight on his own. He was about to make that clear.

"Daniel, shut the hell up! I'm fighting Laxus on my own, you got that?" Gajeel angrily ordered, putting Daniel on the defensive.

"Okay, jeez, calm down. I was just trying to help, but if you want to fight on your own, be my guest." Daniel said defensively. Laxus got up, feeling his jaw as it not only hurt, but he felt as if he underestimated Gajeel.

"Tell you what, I'll say that you've got spunk, but don't think that's makes you able to beat me." Laxus explained. Gajeel could only laugh at Laxus' words, surprising the latter quite a bit.

"We're evenly matched and you keep runnin' your mouth? Ridiculous."

"What was that?" Laxus questioned sternly, only provoking a grin from Gajeel in response.

"I thought knocking you in the jaw would teach you a lesson about humility, but I guess I was wrong. It looks like you've still got a lot to learn about controlling your ego." Gajeel explained, getting ready to fight as Laxus did the same. The two just stood there, charging up their magic power as they stared each other down with the passing time. Laxus couldn't understand Gajeel's determination, especially when he put himself up in such high regard.

"What makes you think you can beat me?" Laxus questioned, taking the fight more seriously as Gajeel responded.

"I don't think, I know. I'll tell you this, ever since I've been away from the guild, I've grown a lot stronger. Actually being a leader is different from you used to think it was." Gajeel said calmly. He remembered the incident in which Laxus tried to take over Fairy Tail, but of course Laxus didn't. It was gone from his mind like Gajeel himself was from Natsu's.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you won't be talking when I'm done with you." Laxus threatened, ready to attack as Gajeel was himself.

"Yeah, well let's see it!" Gajeel shouted enthusiastically, proceeding to attack as did Laxus. They weren't about to stop just yet.

The others, of course, took their respective routes and started turning the school back to normal, breaking everyone free of the empire's manipulation. Roxanne found herself aimlessly running through the building in the hopes of finding people to save, eventually running into a group of students who were set on taking her down.

"Take the green-haired freak out!" One of them shouted, going after her as she immediately threw the tan ball onto the ground. She was already irritated over the nickname they gave her.

"You're lucky that being brainwashed is the only reason you're saying that, because if this was for real, you would be sorry!" Roxanne yelled, immediately taking one of the brainerasers and chucking it at the group. It exploded and engulfed the group within a large cloud of smoke, knocking them out and somehow managing to erase the brainwashing influence that was controlling them. Roxanne though was a bit perplexed over them being knocked out, and decided to question it.

"Hey Kyousuke?" Roxanne questioned through her headset, "Is being knocked out a result of the brainerasers?"

"Yeah; that's just how it works. The smoke puts them into an unconscious state in order to eliminate the substance behind the brainwashing." Kyousuke explained. Earlier, Kyousuke managed to give everyone a headset and wired it up so that the three could seamlessly communicate with one another. Kyousuke was the only one who could speak to Sophia though, and Gajeel was not online at the moment since Kyousuke had disabled their connection for the time being. He would use it to inform Gajeel of having finished his part of the mission, but that hadn't been accomplished just yet. Roxanne, nodding, continued running throughout the school in order to find more students to save from the brainwashing, but then something hit her.

"Wait a minute!" Roxanne said, stopping as she came upon a strange realization. The other two stopped in their tracks upon her request.

"What is it?" Erza questioned, as Roxanne went on.

"It's about the gas incident the school went through before; I don't think we're the only ones who weren't there." Roxanne explained. Erza and Kyousuke both agreed, willing to believe that others could have been absent as well.

"That's right," Erza shouted, "but whom?"

"I don't know, that's the question." Roxanne stated. The three stood there and thought about it for a bit, just as Erza suddenly found herself stumbling across a group of students that were brainwashed. One of them was a girl with blue hair that somehow reminded her of someone she knew in the guild.

"Of course! She wasn't there at the school either; she was at the library the whole day." Erza explained, surprising the other two.

"Okay, who is that?" Kyousuke questioned. Roxanne, however, quickly picked up on it.

"Wait, you don't mean Lucy's best friend?!"

"Yes, that's exactly who I'm talking about." Erza said, putting the two into a state of worry.

As time passed, a blue-haired girl was quietly walking through the school; desperately trying to avoid being noticed as she went down the area Gajeel went in previously. She had a book in her hands, one about ancient, mystic items as she observed her surroundings.

"The qualities of the energy this manuscript was describing should be down here. I'm surprised that it would've been here all this time, if it is actually here." She explained to herself. As she was walking through the place, she heard a loud rumble throughout the area, immediately pushing herself up against the wall as she slowly walked down it. "People are down here?" She questioned to herself in surprise, slowly moving up against the wall as she heard a large man getting up, revealing to be Laxus.

"Wow, you can put up a pretty good fight! That's not gonna get you the win though." Laxus said cockily, unable to contain his overly-expanding ego. Gajeel couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You keep saying that and look where we are. It looks like you won't be going anywhere for a while." Gajeel explained, annoying Laxus somewhat. The blue-haired girl couldn't believe her ears, it was really him.

" _No way, it's Gajeel."_ She thought to herself in astonishment. All this time he was gone and now of all times, he shows up. She couldn't contain the urge to peek around the wall and see him for herself, seeing him clothed in his Stealth Overdrive outfit. He was in the same condition as Laxus, both covered in some bruises here and there and a bit worn out, but that wasn't a concern. What was shocking was that his expression was unmistakable; those red, piercing eyes and that long, black, spiky hair; it was definitely Gajeel. " _I can't believe he's really here; where the heck has he been all of this time?!"_ The girl thought to herself in shock. Gajeel suddenly found himself picking up a peculiar scent, picking up on her location ae he quickly eyed where she was, only for her to whip around the corner before he could actually see her. " _No, I can't let him see me; I'll distract him. It's already shocking enough that he's able to put up this much of a fight against Laxus."_ She explained to herself, hiding as the Iron Dragon Slayer was put into a state of disbelief. Memories of her came rushing back to him within seconds.

"No way, it can't be." Gajeel said in disbelief, letting his guard down as Laxus took advantage of it.

"You should be paying attention!" Laxus shouted, immediately clocking Gajeel in the face as Gajeel was stunned by it. He retorted by doing a sweep kick, flipping Laxus off of his feet before pummeling him back with his Iron Dragon's club, giving himself some time to think it over.

"Out of all the times, why now Levy?!" He said in frustration. Seeing her get caught up in this mess was the last thing he wanted, especially since he had other things to do. Daniel couldn't help but wonder what he was talking about.

"Huh? Who's Levy?"

"No time to explain!" Gajeel shouted as he guarded from another attack made by Laxus. He was starting to get impatient with this fight continuously dragging along and not going anywhere. "All you need to do is work on finding where the dagger is; I'll deal with Laxus and figure out the rest." Gajeel explained, firing his Iron Dragon's club at him again as Laxus turned into a lightning bolt and bolted away from the attack. Daniel immediately got to work on it, just as Gajeel continued fighting Laxus, now having Levy on his mind.

Erza and Roxanne, on the other-hand, had to find out where Levy was as soon as possible.

"We need to find her ASAP!" Erza ordered, just as Roxanne continued her search. Kyousuke didn't know who she was, so he dismissed the order and continued working on expelling the substance that was brainwashing everyone. Unfortunately, he came across an annoying opponent, one he really despised.

"Thought you could get away, did you?" Natsu said angrily, pounding his fists together as Kyousuke looked at him with annoyance. Surprisingly enough, Happy wasn't with him, but that could just be a result of the brainwashing.

"Honestly I did, and I'm going to." Kyousuke said in response, provoking Natsu as he immediately took off after Kyousuke.

"You won't be when I'm through with you!" Natsu shouted angrily, attempting to use his Fire Dragon's Iron Fist again as Kyousuke dodged it. Kyousuke really didn't like Natsu, especially after the angry encounter they had with each other, but Kyousuke couldn't let his hatred get ahold of him now.

"Sorry, but I don't have the time to fight you right now." Kyousuke said, immediately tossing a smoke bomb and clouding Natsu's vision. Natsu couldn't help but start coughing as a result, covering his eyes and relying on his scent to find Kyousuke.

"Ugh, where the heck did you go?" Natsu said in frustration, sniffing out him as he eventually figured out his location. "There you are!" Natsu shouted, focusing on Kyousuke as he stood there with a braineraser in his hand.

"Good job, here's your reward!" Kyousuke shouted cunningly, immediately throwing the braineraser at him and hitting Natsu. Natsu tried to burn it with his magic, but that resulted in it exploding and knocking him out anyways. Kyousuke managed to take Natsu out and set him back to normal. "Listen up, I got Natsu." Kyousuke told the others, who were filled with relief, especially Roxanne.

"That's good to hear." Erza said calmly, just as Roxanne was filled with even more confidence, heading off and saving more students. "With him out of the way, getting the others should be easier."

"Right." Kyousuke said, hanging up the call. He just stood there and looked at a knocked out Natsu, somehow actually having felt bad for holding all that hatred for him. It was so strange to Kyousuke, but he wanted to see if he could forgive him. "I tell you what Natsu, after this whole thing is over, we'll see what happens next. Perhaps then you can be considered just a rival, no longer my enemy." Kyousuke said with a smirk on his face to the unconscious Natsu. With that, Kyousuke walked off, heading out to find more students as the unconscious Natsu just lied there, coming back from the brainwashing effects of the empire's substance. As for Erza, she couldn't help but find herself come across Gray and Lucy, both teaming up against her.

"Looks like we found her." Gray said, catching Erza's attention.

"And it seems that I've found you two, which is perfect regarding the situation." Erza explained. Lucy started charging after Erza, followed by Gray as Erza got ready. They were quick to engage in battle.

"Let me start; gate of the raging bull: Taurus!" Lucy shouted, summoning Taurus as he went after Erza.

"Moooooo! You've got to give this lady some roooom!" Taurus shouted, colliding with Erza as he was suddenly put into surprise. "Wait a minute Lucy, isn't she one of your friends?" Taurus questioned in confusion. Lucy, being brainwashed, continued on with her elimination anyway.

"Ugh, no! She's a threat to the school, and we've got to put her out of commission!" Lucy shouted, persuading Taurus to do her bidding.

"Alright, whatever you say Lucy! I'll do anything for that smokin' hot body of yours!" Taurus said enthusiastically, ready to fight Erza as she was suddenly pummeled with frustration.

" _Dammit! He has no choice but to fight me based on her terms!"_ She thought to herself frustrated. However, she then remembered the task at hand. _"Wait a minute; I'm not here to fight them!"_ Erza reminded herself, suddenly chucking the braineraser at Lucy and Gray as Taurus tried to stop it. It managed to fly past Taurus, hitting both Lucy and Gray and knocking them both out. Because of her state, Taurus' gate was forcibly closed and he was sent back to the celestial spirit world, just as the substance was being erased from Lucy and Gray. Erza looked at them both in relief. "Well that's finished." Erza said calmly, only to be met with another issue at hand.

"Well well Erza, I didn't think we would meet up like this." A white-haired girl said standing there with a peaceful smile on her face as Erza was met with surprise.

"Of course, I should've expected to run into you Mira." Erza said calmly. Dealing with Mira was going to be tough, especially since she was on the same caliber as Erza herself. Mira's expression suddenly turned devious, following with her charging up her energy as Erza did the same.

"It's been awhile; ready to settle the score once and for all?"

"I would be glad to." Erza said in response, getting caught up in the fight and losing track of the mission. With that, Erza and Mira went at it as Kyousuke and Roxanne continued saving students from their predicaments, not encountering much trouble as they were able to avoid getting caught up in fighting.

As that took place, Gajeel and Laxus were still duking it out, tiring each other out as the two stood there breathing heavily. They had much more bruises and some blood here and there, but they weren't finished. Laxus was quick to engage with another attack.

"I'm not done with you yet!" Laxus shouted preparing to attack with a special attack he had been saving up. He started pulling in air as if he was sucking up something, just as Gajeel realized what he was about to do.

"Well well, here goes." Gajeel said doing the same thing as the two prepared to do a roar. Levy could overhear what they were doing, and realized that the resulting impact was going to be quite destructive and dangerous, prompting her to jump out of the way. Within seconds, the two dragon slayers were charged up, both immediately firing their roars at one another and engulfing the entire area within a cloud of destruction. Daniel couldn't believe what he was hearing; having his ears become stressed from all the noise that was sent his way.

"Jeez, what the hell happened?!" Daniel shouted, just as Gajeel was quick to respond.

"I attacked him with my Iron Dragon's Roar; apparently our attacks were equally powerful." Gajeel explained, surprising Daniel.

"Of course they were, not to mention quite destructive to my ears." Daniel said, amusing Gajeel in the process.

"Oh quit your whining."

"Whining?! Why don't you sit here and listen to your destruction and tell me I'm whining? I like to keep my peace you know." Daniel retorted in annoyance as Gajeel chuckled. Gajeel focused on the result of the explosion, having seen part of the wall torn apart as Levy was revealed behind it. Gajeel couldn't help but stare at her in shock as Levy did the same to him.

"Levy, what the hell are you doing here?!" Gajeel shouted in shock, just as Levy couldn't help but wonder the same.

"I wanted to ask you that; I haven't seen you for a whole year!" Levy shouted in surprise. Gajeel couldn't help but just stare at her as Laxus' attention slowly drifted to Levy, seeing her and perceiving her as the perfect hostage.

"What do we have here?" Laxus questioned in wonder, putting Gajeel into a state of alarm as Laxus immediately went for Levy. She couldn't do anything but just sit there in horror as Laxus went after her, Gajeel desperately trying to stop him.

"Levy, get out of the way!" Gajeel yelled as Levy was paralyzed by Laxus' domineering appearance. Unable to do anything, she found herself in Laxus' clutches as he held her in a chokehold, keeping her as a hostage and using her against Gajeel.

"Attack me again and she's dead." Laxus said, quickly infuriating Gajeel.

"Damn you bastard!" He yelled as Laxus merely snickered at his rage. Levy desperately struggled to break free, staring at Gajeel as the latter looked at her in shock. Daniel couldn't help but panic himself, unaware of what was happening.

"Gajeel, what's going on? Are you there?!" Daniel shouted as Gajeel ignored him. He couldn't let them get away with the dagger, yet Laxus could easily kill Levy if he wanted to. He clenched his fists angrily, unable to come to a solution as Laxus started hysterically laughing.

"What's the matter?! You liked to talk up a big game, and look at you now! You're nothing but trash." Laxus said, angering Gajeel while Levy continued to struggle.

"Leave...him...alone." She gasped, trying to break free. Laxus wasn't exactly choking her, more like restricting her whilst putting her in a position for an immediate demise. However, he was about to after she told him that, lightly choking her for his own amusement.

"Think you can talk to me like that?" Laxus questioned as he did so. Gajeel aggressively retorted as a result.

"Let go of her or I'm gonna snap you in half myself!" Gajeel yelled as Laxus was only amused. Gajeel was both angry and scared; anything could happen to Levy at this point. At that point in time, something strange hit him, something that would guide him to the solution he was seeking. Thoughts kept floating through his mind.

" _It made me wonder if the same phenomenon happening in the school was finally happening to me."_ He remembered. The thought itself allowed for him to regain control as he stood there and closed his eyes, putting his energies into sync as Laxus looked at him confused. In fact, he laughed a second time.

"What is this, your way of surrendering? You should've known from the start that it was going to end with you losing!" Laxus shouted as Levy stared at him in surprise. However, she knew it wasn't that; he was doing something odd.

" _His energy, it's falling back into place."_ She thought to herself in surprise. She watched as Gajeel took the time to immerse himself within his thoughts, relaxing himself and ridding himself of the tension, replacing it with focus and coordination. After a minute passed by, Gajeel opened his eyes, focused on Laxus and suddenly appearing behind him. Both Laxus and Levy were sent into complete awe as Gajeel clubbed Laxus in the back of the head, sending him flying into the wall as he got Levy and jumped back. Laxus was put into a dilemma as he got up, angry as he was weakened from the attack. It was thanks to Gajeel's impressive speed that Levy was safe. Gajeel set Levy down as the latter looked at Gajeel in wonder.

"Are you okay?" She questioned in concern, Gajeel getting up and focusing on Laxus again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, just get out of here." Gajeel ordered, to which Levy refused.

"That's not going to happen Gajeel; you can't just disappear for a year and expect me to do that."

"It's not about me, it's about you! You need to get out of here before that lighting-freak gets ahold of you again!" Gajeel yelled. Levy didn't want to leave him behind again, and ultimately refused, starting an argument between the two as Laxus was about to attack once again.

"Your fight is with me iron chump!" Laxus yelled preparing to attack Gajeel as their attention was shifted to Laxus.

"Gajeel, look out!" Levy yelled as Gajeel noticed, preparing to fight Laxus once more. At that point in time, a green shockwave suddenly engulfed the area, affecting only Laxus as he was suddenly sent to the ground in pain. He started screaming as Gajeel and Levy looked at him in shock.

"What the hell is this?! My head, it..AAAGH!" Laxus screamed in an abnormal fashion. Gajeel eventually realized what it was, and he grinned over it.

"It looks like he managed to finish it." Gajeel said with a grin, invoking curiosity upon Levy.

"Finish what?" Levy questioned.

What Gajeel was talking about was Pantherlily's plan: he set up a device that would emit shockwaves which would eliminate the substance that the empire was using to brainwash everyone. While it would be more painful for everyone, it would work. Pantherlily stood outside as he wiped his forehead in relief.

"Well I'm glad that's finished. Hopefully the others are alright." He told himself, wondering of their progress.

Eventually, Laxus was sent into an unconscious state as Gajeel sat down, taking a breather as Levy sat down next to him. She had a big, bright smile on her face and she kept staring at Gajeel, who looked at her surprised.

"What are you smiling about?" He wondered. Levy was quick to respond.

"Oh, it's just that seeing you here makes me happy, that's all."

"Oh yeah?" Gajeel questioned, prompting Levy to go into further detail.

"I mean, you took on Laxus! You've gotten so much stronger and I can tell that you've changed a lot, for the better." Levy explained happily, continuing to smile. Gajeel looked at her surprised, noticing how her smile was so vibrant in the midst of everything that has happened, putting a grin on his face as he ruffled her hair a bit.

"Well you haven't changed one bit shrimp!" Gajeel said jokingly, annoying her once again.

"Well that part of you hasn't changed." Levy said annoyed as Gajeel could only chuckle. Their reunion was quite impactful, not just for Levy, but for Gajeel as well.

Outside of that, Roxanne noticed what was happening and was sent into worry.

"Wait, what's happening?!" Roxanne said in shock. Kyousuke was quick to reply, easing her stress.

"Don't worry, that's our mechanism we've got employed. It's taking care of the brainwashing substance for us, so our work is complete." Kyousuke said with a smile, putting the others into a state of relief. Erza relaxed, knowing that everyone was going to be alright as she stood in front of an unconscious Mira.

"Well that's a relief. It's a good thing everything is back to normal." Erza said calmly, relaxing as she stared at Mira, Lucy, and Gray. A smile covered her face as a result. " _I'll admit, seeing Lucy as she was, being brainwashed, was quite interesting."_ Erza thought to herself in amusement, taking note of Lucy's poppy personality combined with the empire's desire to eliminate people. Roxanne took a breather as well, sitting down as did Kyousuke. The latter took a deep breath and stared about, thinking about the school and everything he went through. All the crap that was sent his way was a result of the brainwashing from the empire, and it being just that alone somehow amused him. He could laugh over it now, no longer bearing the hatred he once held before for the people in the school.

"Let's just hope that I get a chance to rewrite my story here." Kyousuke said calmly. The group had finally rid the school of the brainwashing and was able to get the Dagger of Radiance. Now it was time for the school to change their ways and stop the empire, and it was time for Stealth Overdrive to make their move.


	11. Chapter 11: One Fixed, One Broke

Chapter 11: One Fixed, One Broke

The group managed to save the school and return it to normal, mostly thanks to Pantherlily having been able to set up that mechanism that allowed for the brainwashing substance to be erased. Stealth Overdrive had completed their mission and could finally continue on with their next plan of action in order to take down the Xandolian Empire. Now that the school wasn't being manipulated by them, they would have a lot more support which would mean a better chance at taking down the D-Raided, which was a benefit for them.

Some of this included a bit of reunion; bitter with Kyousuke and Natsu for example and sweet with those like Gajeel and Levy. She was especially happy to see him, moving from side to side as she stared at Gajeel, who had his typical serious expression plastered to his face. To her, she couldn't believe that he took on Laxus, considering how much he "changed", and Gajeel felt that Levy was just Levy still. She seemed the same as usual to him of course. Following that, Gajeel got up and headed over to the large pile of stuff that he originally analyzed earlier, searching through it as Levy walked up behind him in surprise. That pile was what she was looking for as well, leading her to assume that, picking up on his Alpha badge and Stealth Overdrive clothing that he was also after the Dagger of Radiance.

"Are you also looking for the Dagger of Radiance?" Levy wondered, having read it in her book. Gajeel continued searching through the stuff, tossing unnecessary junk behind him as he dug deeper.

"Yeah. Apparently, the Xandolian Empire's after it, so I came here to get it before they could actually take it for themselves." Gajeel explained. He eventually came across a large, bright light as he put his focus on an orange dagger that was lying before him. Eyeing its qualities in awe as did Levy, he reached in and grabbed it, pulling it out as the bright radiance dissipated before their eyes. The two observed it, the item being an orange dagger with an orange blade and an orange jewel on its handle. Levy herself was simply impressed with the beauty it held.

"It's beautiful." Levy said in awe, observing it as Gajeel held it and observed it himself. Strangely enough, the light it had somehow dissipated, prompting surprise between the two when they realized it. Levy somehow knew that wasn't a good sign. "That's strange; the light the dagger was just radiating isn't there anymore." Levy said in puzzlement. She pulled out her book and started reading through it again, prompting Gajeel to look at her surprised.

"What, is that not supposed to happen?" Gajeel questioned as Levy continued searching through her book.

"If I remember correctly, the light it radiates should always be lit. Here it is: 'The Dagger emits an ethereal radiance that envelopes the user within the beauty of light itself, but those contaminated with the power of darkness shall find that this power is not permitted for their use'." Levy read out-loud. Gajeel remembered at that moment how he was the one who could most easily use the Cloak of Nocturne and utilize its power to the greatest extent, so he couldn't possibly be able to wield its opposite. To confirm this, he handed it to Levy, who held it herself and observed it. Within seconds, it started to glow again, prompting Levy to look at Gajeel in surprise as the latter only grinned.

"I thought so." Gajeel stated in amusement, confusing Levy.

"You thought what?"

"It's nothing." Gajeel said in response, removing his grin as other matters caught his attention. At that moment, the two heard a loud grunt, turning around and seeing Laxus getting up before their eyes. Gajeel wanted to inform Daniel of the situation, having finished everything they came to do. "Hey Daniel, we got the dagger and cleaned out the school of the empire's brainwashing trick." Gajeel explained, inflicting relief upon Daniel.

"That's good; I was getting jumpy there for a few. I'll be waiting outside of the school in the helicopter." Daniel informed, leaving as Gajeel focused his attention on Laxus. The latter sat down and held his head in pain, being at a loss of memory from what happened previously.

"What the hell happened to me, and why the hell am I covered in bruises?" Laxus said in confusion, getting up and attempting to get used to the environment once again. He soon saw Gajeel standing there, wondering what he was doing there since he hadn't seen him in so long. "Gajeel, what the hell are you doing here? What the heck happened?" Laxus questioned in confusion. Gajeel was surprised that he didn't remember everything clearly, prompting him to bring it up for his own personal enjoyment.

"So you don't remember huh? Too bad, we had one hell of a fight!" Gajeel said while holding his fist up. Laxus looked at Gajeel even more confused, wondering why he would fight him until it all suddenly hit him. He widened his eyes in shock as all those memories flew back to him, and everything that he had felt and thought previously was stored in his memory.

"Really? I remember myself trying to eliminate you, but I don't remember why." Laxus said surprised. Thinking into it more, he started to realize how much of a fight Gajeel managed to put up against him, which was shocking to say the least. He didn't say anything about it though, preferring to know why Gajeel was here in the first place. "Anyways, why the heck did you show up after so long? Did you decide to go on vacation or something?" Laxus questioned curiously. Gajeel replaced his grin with a serious expression, following with an explanation on the issue at hand.

"No, it's nothing like that. This school's been involved in some nasty crap lately, I'll tell you more about it when we meet up with everyone else." Gajeel explained. With that he left the area, already having the dagger in his possession as Levy followed (having given the dagger back to him), and the two being followed by Laxus from behind. He couldn't help but wonder about Gajeel's strength, remembering every piece of the fight that happened between the two. The way he acted during the fight somehow filled him with disgust, but he was more perplexed by Gajeel's strength.

" _So Gajeel, how the hell did you put up this much of a fight against me?"_ Laxus questioned to himself in wonder, following the two as Gajeel went searching for the others.

Erza, on the other hand, was standing there, watching as the three she defeated started to wake up. Roxanne approached her, seeing her results as Erza turned and noticed her approaching.

"Is everything good on your end?" Erza questioned. Roxanne nodded in response.

"Everyone should be back to normal according to Kyousuke." Roxanne stated, noticing Lucy and the others getting up as well. Erza was pleased to hear this.

"That's good to hear. This should fix everything that's been going on here." Erza explained in relief, thinking of what may happen later on. Lucy got up in shock, being unable to really remember anything while being stranded inside a destroyed cafeteria of a school. She was the first to ask the questions.

"Hey...what the heck happened here? I feel like a train-wreck." Lucy said stressfully, stretching out as the others did too. Erza smiled in a sense of relief.

"You're all back to your normal selves, I'm glad." Erza said happily, only to receive stares of puzzlement from the three.

"Huh? What do you mean we're back to our normal selves?" Mira questioned in surprise. Gray was quick to jump in as well.

"Yeah, what the heck happened to us?"

"You were all brainwashed by an evil empire controlling the school." Roxanne explained, putting the three into surprise.

"We were being brainwashed?!" Lucy said in shock, following with Gray.

"That's crazy!"

"Yet it's the truth." Erza stated calmly, "This whole time, the Xandolian Empire was manipulating us for their plans."

"Who's the Xandolian Empire?" Gray questioned in wonder. Erza was hesitant to explain right away, there were other matters to attend to.

"I'll explain when the others meet up with us. Nearly the whole school was brainwashed; it's thanks to us two and a couple others that we were able to survive it." Erza explained. Everybody was calm as a result, until Mira started wondering who these other people were.

"Well then, who are these people you're talking about?" Mira questioned. A calm smile covered Erza's face as she crossed her arms, anticipated for her reaction.

"You'll see very soon." She said cunningly, surprising the other three as they just stared at her in wonder. They soon could remember what just ensued, being in shock as they recalled everything that had happened, and right at that moment, a Fire Dragon Slayer appeared. Everything went out of what from that moment on.

"What the heck happened to me?! I was out cold on the ground and I don't remember anything!" Natsu screamed, running around in circles as Gray became annoyed with his bickering.

"Jeez, did you hit your head on a rock or something? It'll come back to you in a few minutes." Gray said, annoying Natsu.

"What was that ice-breath? I don't sense anything coming back to me just yet!"

"It's because you have no patience magma breath!" Gray shouted, only for Erza to immediately break it up out of frustration.

"Cut it out!"

"Yes ma'am!" They both shouted fearfully, afraid of her destructive wrath. Natsu, however, suddenly became filled with shock upon seeing Roxanne. Seeing her just standing there sent horrific memories flying through his head, the things he said to her, their fighting. He couldn't believe it really happened. "Roxanne." Natsu said in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened. He couldn't' believe that he would've done such a thing, especially to one of his close friends. She saw him and looked away, not wanting to see his sorry face after the dramatic turn of events that had happened earlier. Natsu wanted to apologize and mend the wounds, but she couldn't bear to see his face right now. It just wasn't the right time. At that moment, the group was suddenly pummeled with people coming from all directions, first Kyousuke, followed by some other students, and then Gajeel with Levy and Laxus. Lucy was the first to notice Gajeel coming back to the group, the latter having been gone for so long to begin with.

"No way...it's him!" Lucy said in shock, catching everyone's attention.

"Lucy, what are you…" Gray said, suddenly averting his attention and realizing that Gajeel was there. Mira was also sent into shock, everyone gasping as Natsu started to freak out.

"What the heck! Gajeel, it's you! Where the heck have you been all this time?!" Natsu shouted frantically, walking up to him as Gajeel just stood there and grinned.

"So you finally decided to remember me Salamander; earlier you couldn't even recognize me."

"Say what?" Natsu said surprised, scratching his head in wonder as Erza noticed Laxus standing behind him. She seemed quite surprised over this.

"Laxus? What were you doing with Gajeel and Levy?" Erza questioned in surprise, catching everyone's attention as Laxus crossed his arms, actually being somewhat embarrassed to go into detail.

"I was being brainwashed too, and apparently I saw Gajeel as a threat and was set on eliminating him." Laxus explained, inflicting surprise into Erza. The two were in the same condition, which baffled her greatly. "I'm just wondering how Gajeel managed to survive."

"We're evenly matched." Gajeel explained, inflicting shock into the group. Natsu didn't believe it right away.

"Bull crap, you remember what went down at Kardia cathedral?"

"Yeah, and that was a long time ago! It's the truth salamander, and I can demonstrate it right here and now." Gajeel explained whilst stretching as if he was actually going to fight him. Natsu continued to argue with him as Erza wanted to know from Laxus if this was true.

"Laxus, is this really true?" She questioned. Laxus, surprisingly, seemed somewhat embarrassed to admit that it was actually true, which inflicted great shock amongst the knight herself. Even when he was modest, he held his ego in great regard.

"Yeah, it's the truth." Laxus said calmly, attracting Natsu's attention as everyone stared at him in shock. They couldn't believe what they were hearing, especially Natsu.

"NO WAY! Even Laxus believes it; there's something gone wrong inside my head!" Natsu panicked, going crazy as Gray became annoyed by it.

"Here we go again; it's not like the world's coming to an end." Gray said, only for Natsu to continue panicking. Erza, shockingly, was so impressed by Gajeel's rapid increase in strength that she couldn't help but find herself become desperate to apply his methods to her own training. She wanted to know of his "secret technique".

"If that's the case then tell me; what was your method in getting so powerful so quickly?!" Erza questioned, desperate to find out. She was tempted to get her hands on this method, but as her desperation grew, her disappointment would too when she found out something more than shocking.

"What are you talking about? I didn't use any secret method to get this strong; it's all just daily training and work." Gajeel explained whilst crossing his arms, sending Erza into a downwards spiral of disappointment. She didn't want to believe it, unlike Natsu who actually didn't believe it.

"What?! But there has to be something you did."

"Nope, nothing. It was just training like I said." Gajeel stated, disappointing her. She couldn't believe it was merely just that which propelled him to the highest of his strengths; he must've been training quite a lot.

"Well then, I guess I'll just stick to my own methods." Erza stated calmly, giving up on the topic as everyone looked at Gajeel surprised. Kyousuke was also standing there, looking at Gajeel calmly as the group's attention was redirected.

"So Gajeel, did you find the dagger?" Kyousuke wondered. Gajeel was quick to pull it out, holding it in his hand with a grin on his face.

"I've got it right here. Finding it was the easy part." Gajeel stated calmly as Kyousuke nodded. As strange as it was, Kyousuke soon realized that everyone's attention was locked onto him, putting him into a state of confusion as nearly everyone could only stare at him in shock. Even Natsu, who was already shocked when seeing Roxanne, was put into an even bigger state of disbelief when seeing Kyousuke, only being confused by Kyousuke's response.

"What? Why are you staring at me?" Kyousuke questioned out-loud, prompting no direct response. Natsu could only stare at him, feeling horrible on the inside.

"Kyousuke…" he said with a stutter, surprising Kyousuke.

"What?"

"Is it really true: the things we've done to you?" Natsu questioned. Everyone who was affected by the empire had slightly saddened expressions on their faces, looking downwards as Kyousuke and Natsu eyed each other. Gajeel wanted to see how Kyousuke would respond, knowing of how he hated them so much before. Kyousuke simply crossed his arms while going on to reply.

"It's true. The Xandolian Empire brainwashed you and nearly everyone else, forcing you to hate me as a result. They were desperate to make sure I was gone." Kyousuke explained. This only deepened the destruction the wizards felt for being this way to him; that's not what Fairy Tail represented. You didn't become a part of the guild to become tormented and ridiculed. Kyousuke wasn't finished explaining though. "I used to hate you as much as you hated me, but now that I know that it was out of your control, it makes it easier to let it go. However, I'm not sure if it is the right thing to do." Kyousuke explained, stopping right there. Natsu was quick to say something himself, surprising Kyousuke.

"Listen, I know what I and the others did was wrong. For some reason, seeing you without a partner made me want to hate you, and I can't even think about how angry it makes me knowing that was my reaction." Natsu explained, surprising Kyousuke. Having his full, undivided attention, Natsu held out a hand to Kyousuke in the hopes of being able to reconcile. "I'm sorry, we all are. Can you forgive us?" Natsu offered, ready to move on. Kyousuke looked all around him to see everyone else agreeing, apologizing to him themselves including Lucy, Gray, Dayton, and many others. With that, Kyousuke accepted it.

"Fine then." Kyousuke said, shaking Natsu's hand and coming to terms with him as the latter smiled. Kyousuke smiled as well. "I'll let it go and see what happens from here on out." Kyousuke explained. Shockingly enough, Natsu was quick to change the topic, being interested in something else.

"Speaking of partners, did you ever find yours?"

"You dumbass! He's right there!" Kyousuke yelled angrily as everyone looked at him in disappointment. Natsu was surprised, attempting to guess who his partner was.

"Wait, is it Laxus?"

"You're such an idiot Natsu." Laxus said in annoyance, only causing Natsu to becoming even more frustrated as more disappointment arose.

"Well who the heck is it then?"

"Salamander! I'm his partner you moron!" Gajeel yelled angrily, prompting surprise within Natsu. Natsu looked at him in surprise, seeing his serious expression and comparing it to Kyousuke's. Upon doing so, he finally came to the realization, seeing their similarities easily.

"Oh, so that explains what that was all about!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Gajeel questioned angrily, prompting Natsu to drift off once again.

"So Kyousuke, you're a part of Stealth Overdrive then?" Natsu questioned, annoying Kyousuke severely once again.

"You can't be serious." Kyousuke questioned, Gajeel agreeing.

"This is how he always is; you better get used to it." Gajeel suggested as Gray jumped in.

"Come on Natsu, you obviously don't have a clue, do you? I can't believe you're this stupid."

"What did you say ice stripper?!" Natsu questioned angrily, feuding with Gray once again. Erza was surprised at Gajeel's growth, noticing how he stayed out of the argument and stood back. Normally he would jump in too, especially if it concerned Gajeel himself, but not this time. He had a lot on his mind, clearly; he stood there thinking as his eyes were staring off into space. She wondered what he was planning to do next, and she wasn't hesitant to ask.

"So Gajeel, do you plan on staying here?" She questioned. Gajeel was quick to reply.

"Not now, we've got a lot of stuff to do regarding the empire." Gajeel explained. Erza looked at him a bit surprised, somewhat upset that he wasn't going to stay. However, she was quick to understand, knowing that he took his role as the group's leader seriously and had business to do.

"I understand. You've really come a long way." Erza said with a smile on her face. For once she was quite proud of him, and it was a good feeling. Gajeel grinned in response, knowing that Erza of all people would understand. At that moment, something crossed Gajeel's mind, an important piece of information that he needed to get across.

"Listen, there's something you need to know." Gajeel told Erza, who looked at him in surprise.

"What is it? Is it about the empire?"

"Yeah." Gajeel said. He was quick to explain. "It turns out that the guild-master was paralyzed by them. He's being held captive somewhere outside of the school." Gajeel explained. Erza widened her eyes in shock, unable to comprehend what she just heard.

"What?! Our master is frozen?!"

"Yeah. I don't know how, but the empire managed to get him and put an end to his reign, for now at least." Gajeel explained. Levy, overhearing it, couldn't help but gasp as she looked at him in shock. Laxus also heard him, gritting his teeth slightly over such. If you read his face well enough, you could tell there was tension rising inside of him.

"Do you know where he is?!" Laxus questioned in frustration. He really wanted to know, but there was no info on that.

"I don't have a clue, but I know it's not here. The empire is doing something with him though; I know that's for sure. They knew he was going to be a serious threat, and they took him out in the beginning to get him out of the way." Gajeel explained. Erza could only clench her fists angrily, having gone all this time without knowing of it. However, now was not the time to be sulking, she had to go with a course of action. Knowing now was only another step closer to victory.

"Alright, everyone in the school can help us search for him. We'll explain the details to everyone later." Erza stated, Gajeel nodding in response. He had gotten all the information he wanted to get across to the group and he finished his mission, so he started to leave, inflicting surprise within everyone.

"Hey, we better get going." Gajeel told Kyousuke as he nodded in response. Everyone in the school looked at him in surprise, especially Natsu.

"Hey, you're not staying?" Natsu wondered in surprise. Gajeel, however, knew he couldn't stay.

"Come on Salamander, I've got work to do." Gajeel explained, upsetting Natsu somewhat. He got used to Gajeel being in the guild all the time, so it was upsetting to see him go. Gajeel, however, wasn't leaving permanently as he pounded his fists together. "But when I get back, I'm gonna give you one hell of a fight Salamander." Gajeel explained with a grin. It was that explanation that reassured Natsu, putting his own grin on his face.

"We'll see about that." Natsu said with a smile. With that, the two prepared to take off, heading for the doors of the school and preparing to leave. Levy, however, couldn't just let him go without one last talk. She sped after them, walking out the door as Gajeel and Kyousuke were seen standing outside next to the helicopters Sophia and Daniel were piloting. Levy saw Gajeel and managed to stop him.

"Hey, wait a minute! Don't leave just yet." Levy shouted, catching his attention. Gajeel heard her and knew it was something important, heading back for her.

"Give me a second." Gajeel told Kyousuke, who nodded in response. He then headed over to Levy, looking at her surprised as she gave him a desperate look. She really didn't want him to go, and she was fighting with herself over it on the inside.

"Why do you have to go back; just stay with us." Levy questioned. Gajeel knew she was going to ask that, but nevertheless explained why.

"I told you, I have work to do and besides; this group's not gonna run without me. They're gonna need me to keep them all in shape." Gajeel explained as Kyousuke smiled from a distance. Levy looked at him in awe, noticing how much he has "grown". She couldn't help but smile as a result of it.

"You've really changed Gajeel, you really have." Levy said with a smile on her face. Gajeel looked at her a bit perplexed before he grinned in response, leaving while saying one last thing. This was something that he said a lot.

"How many times do I have to tell you to not worry about me; it's annoying." Gajeel said calmly. Levy could only continue smiling as a result, watching as he got into the helicopter. She stood outside and watched as the helicopters took off; staring at the helicopter Gajeel went into. Happiness filled her as time passed.

" _Deep down at heart though, you're still the same Gajeel I've known of before."_ Levy thought to herself happily, heading back into the school as the group returned back to the base. It was a mission success, and now the group could head back knowing that they've stumped the empire quite enough as it is. Kyousuke felt glad for having fixed up the issues relating to his past and figuring out who the real persecutor was, now being able to go after them not only for a worldly cause, but for a personal conviction as well. Sophia, flying the helicopter that they were in, was interested herself in how he felt about the situation.

"So then, did you 'fix up' everything on your behalf?" Sophia questioned curiously. Kyousuke couldn't stop thinking about it, having felt relief over it and being glad to be able to put it behind him for once. He smiled a bit in response.

"I can finally leave it behind as just an old memory, freeing me from my burdens." Kyousuke explained calmly. Shockingly, Sophia had tears rolling down her eyes, crying tears of joy as Kyousuke looked at her in shock.

"I'm so proud of you! You are learning the ways of Stealth Overdrive, and you shall soon be along the lines of Gajeel's greatness; I can't believe it!"

"What the hell are you talking about?! Please stop." Kyousuke said in annoyance as Sophia continued to cry. Following that, Kyousuke was curious as to what their next course of action is. "Okay, since we've got both the cloak and the dagger, the empire's plans are ultimately rendered useless. Knowing that, what are we going to do next?" Kyousuke wondered. Sophia honestly didn't know much of what that was herself, but she had an idea.

"We'll most likely follow up with either an infiltration of their base or engage in war and ultimately destroy them, but that is up to Gajeel and Pantherlily; they're the ones who devise the plans of action around here." Sophia explained. Kyousuke thought about it for a bit and realized that both plans would somehow set off a large-scale battle. With an empire as big as the Xandolian, it would be a risky choice to make, so making the right one was the real question here. Kyousuke then remembered the cloak of Nocturne, and wondered what Gajeel did with it.

"Speaking of which, where is…" Kyousuke started to ask. Suddenly, the helicopter jerked around, sending Kyousuke flying about within the inside as Sophia struggled to maintain control. Checking her status monitor, she realized that something fatal had happened to the copter, trying to safely control the copter as Kyousuke regained his balance.

"What the hell was that?!" Kyousuke shouted in shock, prompting Sophia to explain.

"Something hit our ship! The right wing's in flames and we won't be able to make it back!" Sophia shouted, prompting further shock from Kyousuke. The ship's gravity was being sent to the front as the copter's nose was headed straight for the ground, only for the copter to smash into the other copter, which also somehow sustained heavy damage. All this damage and there's nothing that acts as a source of it. Sophia lost control of the copter.

"Dammit! I can't control it!"

"Do something!"

"Do what?! Self-destruct the copter; it's out of control!" Sophia yelled angrily, increasing their frustration. Without ado, both copters crashed straight into the ground a great deal away from the school, burning into flames as Kyousuke and Sophia were nearly smashed by the fatal collision. Pantherlily, being on his way back to the base, saw this and could only look on in shock.

"What the hell?! GAJEEL!" He yelled, taking off and preparing to find the copters. Pantherlily couldn't see anything that indicated what took them down, so it was difficult to wrap his head around. However, he was soon ambushed by two soldiers, holding him at gunpoint as Pantherlily put his arms up in the air. The only emotions running through him at this point were fear and disbelief, and dealing with soldiers was the last thing he needed.

"You are coming with us Pantherlily." One of the soldiers ordered as Pantherlily continued staring. Suddenly, he drew his Musica Sword and took out both of the soldiers with a single swipe, taking off after the copters once again. However, he found himself surrounded by even more soldiers, all aiming to take him under custody.

"Surrender now or this will become painful." One of the soldiers ordered, only for Pantherlily to ignore it. Seeing the soldiers and the copters only made him angrier, and he clenched his fists in frustration. He had no way out of this situation.

" _Dammit! I have to get to them somehow, figure out what the hell is going on!"_ Pantherlily thought to himself frustrated. He remembered that there were bushes behind him that he could use as a cover for an escape, and so that's what he did. He took off through the bushes, prompting the soldiers to gain up on the bushes in the hopes of stopping him.

"Hey! Get back here!" One of them yelled to no avail. Pantherlily was gone, and he had to figure out how to save everyone.

As for the other four, Kyousuke was still stuck within the copter. He desperately tried breaking free from the inside, kicking open a door and blasting it off as he crawled out of the door. Looking up, he saw that the copters were completely destroyed; leaving a bunch of burning metal and a fire that surrounded the destruction. Aside from that though, a bigger problem was present: the others weren't there.

"Sophia! Daniel!" Kyousuke shouted, running over to the other copter and noticing nothing else from there as well. He couldn't find anyone. "Gajeel!" Kyousuke yelled, desperately looking for someone as he walked around. However, it wasn't long before he suddenly became drowsy, losing his focus and becoming wobbly. "Gajeel...where are you?" Kyousuke wondered, falling face-flat on the ground and passing out. Now he was out of it, and the group was in serious danger. Nothing could be explained at this point in time.


	12. Chapter 12: Hysterical Consequence

Chapter 12: Hysterical Consequence

Darkness…Deep, empty darkness that could neither been seen nor felt, aimlessly covering the entirety of vision. Empty, yet endless as it covered everything with every step one took, if that was possible. Sight in itself was not possible, but sound was given, for cries and shouts echoed throughout this darkness. With each passing second the voices became louder and louder, yet there was still nothing to see. Nothing could be remembered, and all that could be done was to just stare in this darkness. Making out what the sound was saying was pointless, for it was just too muffled. Screams were evident, yet muffled, and pain could be felt, yet also muffled. But then…there was a sudden sense of clarity.

"KYOUSUKE!" A familiar voice screamed, disrupting everything within the darkness and causing instant chaos. Everything felt as if it was falling apart and was shattering to pieces, despite nothing being seen in the first place.

In seconds, Kyousuke opened his eyes and woke up from his endless dream, coming back to reality after having been knocked out by an unknown perpetrator. He was slow about it, having to deal with the aftermath of being knocked out, but he soon realized the predicament that he had been caught in, seeing himself held up by chains in a dark, eerie room while having been stripped of his clothing. They left his pants on, thankfully, but everything else was removed from him, and he couldn't break free. He looked around in shock, trying to figure out where he was, yet nothing could be made up.

" _Where the hell am I?"_ Kyousuke thought to himself in shock. The place had no odor, but smelled old, and everything looked worn out due to old age. Even the chains used to hold him up had rust on them. " _Out of all the places, why this place? It makes no sense to me."_ Kyousuke thought to himself perplexed, wondering what he was doing in such a strange looking area. He felt his normal flow of magic energy being disrupted by being held up with the chains, and picking up on that, deduced that they restrained him from exercising any sort of magic power. " _Should've expected that. It looks like I won't be getting out of this place anytime soon."_ Kyousuke thought to himself in disappointment. Looking up, he observed the surroundings even more and came upon a shocking sight. "Gajeel!" Kyousuke shouted, seeing him in the same situation as Kyousuke himself. He was also held up by chains and stripped of his clothing, and he was still out. He wondered of what happened to him earlier on, since the only thing he could remember was the helicopters crashing down, followed by him finding out that no one was there. "Come on Gajeel! Wake up!" Kyousuke yelled, trying to get him to wake up as Gajeel moved his head around a bit. In time, he opened his eyes and woke up from his unconscious state, looking around and observing the area, seeing Kyousuke as well.

"What the hell is this place?" He questioned in disgust. He looked around and saw Kyousuke there as well, surprising him a bit.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. The only thing I know is that we've been restrained, not to mention our magic power is being cutoff." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel then remembered everything that happened, obtaining a stern look in his eyes as he realized what was really happening.

"It looks like they got us good this time." Gajeel said calmly, surprising Kyousuke.

"Wha...what do you mean?"

"The Xandolian Empire was behind this. No one else would be able to take us down with that kind of power." Gajeel explained, angering Kyousuke. Of course they would be the ones behind this.

"Of course." Kyousuke said angrily. Right after success was when their failures prospered, and that only drove the empire to success. Kyousuke, however, had more important questions on his mind. "Do you remember what happened to yourself?" Kyousuke questioned, prompting Gajeel to remember. There wasn't much to remember since it happened so fast, but he was able to remember it all.

"Only thing I remember is the helicopter suddenly being hit, losing control and hitting your copter before we hit the ground." Gajeel explained. He thought a bit more into it. "Daniel couldn't figure out what the hell hit the copter, but that didn't matter because we were out right when it hit the ground."

"So that's why I couldn't find you. I managed to survive being knocked out by the crash and tried to find you, but I couldn't find anyone. It was after that when I was hit with a tranquilizing dart and knocked out by force." Kyousuke explained, confirming Gajeel's suspicions.

"I should've known that they'd try to pull something like this." Gajeel said in disappointment, somewhat annoyed over how he couldn't stop it. That wasn't important though; being trapped was the real issue, and so he started trying to figure out how to break free. Gajeel smelled the air and was able to pick up on some powerful aromas, thanks to his Dragon Slayer abilities. He picked up on Kyousuke's scent and the scent of the room, becoming shocked when he picked up on someone else's scent. It got stronger with each passing second. "Someone's coming." Gajeel said calmly, Kyousuke looking at him in shock. Eventually they heard someone come in through a door leading to the disgusting room, revealing to be the higher-rank that the group encountered previously. Kyousuke looked at him with complete disgust, remembering what he did to him before.

"Oh, it's just you." Kyousuke said in disgust, somewhat irritating the higher rank. Strangely enough, he had a whip on him, and it was easy to assume that he was planning on using it.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce myself. You can call me Midnight." He said with a smirk on his face. Kyousuke could only shoot him a stern look, being so angry with him that it him boil. Being restrained only made it worse, and he had no choice but to helplessly watch as Midnight prepared to deal some fun of his own. He was intent on making all of his opponents suffer. "There's something you should know; the chains restrict your magic power so I cannot torture you with my Reflector Magic, which is a disappointment to say the least." He explained, stretching out the whip as he prepared to use it. Kyousuke knew what was coming and braced himself for it. "I'll just have to whip you instead, but first, tell me…" he said, preparing to slash, "where's the cloak and dagger?!" Within seconds the whip hit Kyousuke and brutally wounded him, leaving a red mark from the whip as Kyousuke screamed in pain. He couldn't do anything except take the pain, and worst of all, it was in-front of the one whom he treasured most. Midnight proceeded to deal more slashes, burning up Kyousuke's skin as the latter scrambled around within the chains and bellowed in agony, Midnight himself taking great satisfaction from the pain he endured. Gajeel only stared at Kyousuke as the latter suffered, unable to do anything himself and gritting his teeth because of it. He gave him a stern look, hoping to invoke some sort of confidence within Kyousuke as the latter pulled slight glimpses from him before being lashed. Midnight temporarily stopped after about ten slashes. "Tell me, where is it?!" Midnight demanded. Kyousuke only looked at him angrily, being burned across his chest as a result of the whip.

"I'll never tell you! You can just forget it!" Kyousuke shouted angrily to no avail. Midnight only looked at him with disappointment, prompting to move on with another course of action. He had all the time he wanted, and to him, it was just a game.

"Alright fine, I'll give you a bit of time to rethink your decision. Meanwhile, I'll start with the gutter-trash over here." Midnight stated, shocking Kyousuke as he headed over to Gajeel, who was unamused.

"You sure like to keep running your mouth, don't you?" Gajeel taunted, irritating Midnight. He was unimpressed.

"Bicker all you want, it won't change a thing. I hope you're ready to suffer!" He shouted, straightening the belt as he lashed Gajeel with it. "Tell me, where is the cloak and dagger! I'll put you through as much pain as I want until you give me the answers!" He yelled, witnessing the Iron Dragon Slayer's screaming. Kyousuke couldn't bear to see it; how could he just watch Gajeel being tortured right before his eyes. The screams he made and the pain that he went through...he couldn't take it.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Kyousuke screamed to no avail, just as Midnight dealt more slashes and drew blood. Gajeel was in the same situation as Kyousuke was, and Midnight knew he was stronger than Kyousuke. Blood from the slash marks dripped from his body as he breathed heavily; sweat pouring from his face as he regained his breath. It hurt, but he wasn't going to give in, not now. Gajeel quickly glimpsed at Kyousuke, seeing the horror plastered onto his face and realizing that he was more hurt by this than his own pain. It made him very frustrated.

" _Dammit Kyousuke, I should've told you not to worry about me."_ Gajeel thought to himself in frustration. The pain was one thing, but seeing Kyousuke like that upset him, and it was enough to block out Midnight's words. He was the type who didn't like people to worry about him, but with Kyousuke, he should've expected it.

"Don't you know where it is? I can keep going until you tell me; in fact it's more fun that way." Midnight taunted, earning no reaction from Gajeel. His head was down and he kept staring at the ground, prompting Midnight to move on. "Of course, I get no words from you. I'll come back to you later." Midnight stated, heading over to Kyousuke to continue his session of torture. He proceeded to demand answers from Kyousuke as he whipped him once again, making Kyousuke scream out in pain as Gajeel looked up and saw him. Seeing him that way upset him too, but he knew that they had to stay strong and not break apart. It wasn't right, but they couldn't give in. If they did, it would be the end of the world for them.

" _It's a good thing that he really doesn't know where they are."_ Gajeel thought to himself, knowing where the items were. It's a good thing that he's the one that figures out what to do with the items the group obtains, since he can hide them anywhere and keep them hidden for ages. He also wondered of Sophia and Daniel's whereabouts, as well as Pantherlily's, but he couldn't concern himself with them; the situation he currently was involved in was more important. Gajeel saw blood pour from Kyousuke's mouth as the pain inflicted was on his stomach as well. Kyousuke, however, would rather have this than to see Gajeel go through it, which managed to puzzle him. He couldn't understand the powerful feelings he had for him that continued to stir inside of him.

" _Why do I feel so strongly for him?! Just one slash and I'm in shambles; have I really become this attached to him?"_ Kyousuke thought to himself in confusion. He realized that the feelings he had for him were much deeper than just a close friendship, and knowing that upset him somewhat, concerning the current situation. Midnight could possibly pick up on this and use it against him, so Kyousuke had to keep quiet. His attachment to Gajeel could potentially expose one of his own weaknesses. Being covered in blood from multiple slashes, Kyousuke got a break from the torture and was questioned once more, only angering Kyousuke once again.

"You've got anything to say? I'm still waiting for your response you wasteful trash." He scolded, only angering Kyousuke. Kyousuke, as a response, spit blood in Midnight's face, surprising Gajeel who raised a brow as Midnight looked at Kyousuke angrily. His response was to directly punch Kyousuke in the face and grab him by his hair, pulling it back as Kyousuke stuttered in pain. "You need to learn obedience, but of course that won't be happening. When we're done, you'll both be executed." Midnight explained, letting Kyousuke go as he turned and headed back to Gajeel; he wasn't done with him. Kyousuke wasn't finished either though.

"I don't obey shitheads." Kyousuke stated prompting an angry look from Midnight as Kyousuke went on. "It's really too bad that you can't use your magic anyways, since you can only win by beating us with a whip. Honestly, being a member of this shitty empire has done nothing for you." Kyousuke explained, further angering Midnight as he angrily clenched the whip. He typically kept his cool and wasn't emotionally prone, yet here he was being just that. Midnight wasn't one who typically let his emotions cloud his vision, yet Kyousuke's manipulative tactics have pushed him to brink of the edge, and Gajeel was about to push him off.

"He's right." Gajeel said, catching his attention.

"What was that?" Midnight questioned sternly, only for Gajeel to continue.

"I've changed a lot by being the leader of this group, but you are still the same scumbag from before." Gajeel explained, angering Midnight to a limit.

"I've had enough of you! Let's see how much pain you can withstand you piece of junk! Suffering should be your middle name!" He angrily yelled whipping Gajeel continuously as blood was drawn. Kyousuke forcefully kept quiet, yet unable to keep the horror off his face as he worriedly watched Gajeel being brutally beaten to a pulp. Bruises covered their bodies, and now Gajeel's blood was being seen as it dripped from his mouth, the wounds from the lashes, and from the whip he was hit with. Kyousuke was horrified on the inside, and yet he was in very bad condition as well. Blood covered his own body and he might as well have been a canvas for a blood-red sky.

" _I have to get out of here! I can't take it, he's being wounded! I'm covered in blood, but he's being forced to take it!"_ Kyousuke panicked to himself. He was going insane from merely seeing Gajeel being brutally tortured before his eyes, and he was starting to freak out. It first started with hyperventilation as Kyousuke's pupils dilated; sweat pouring down his face even faster as he moved around in a panic. Gajeel saw this while being whipped and he became upset over seeing it.

"Dammit Kyousuke, calm down! You need to focus!" Gajeel yelled before being whipped by Midnight again. It didn't help however, for Kyousuke continued to panic as he saw Gajeel in the state he was.

" _The blood, the pain, his screams, I can't take it! Don't touch him, leave him alone! Stop this! Please, it's not what he deserves! Leave him alone! Stop….stop…"_ Kyousuke thought to himself in a panic as he panicked. Tension started to rise as he started to verbally panic on the outside as a result of the attack. "Damn you! All you can do is torture him because you're pathetic! You are nothing! Leave him alone!" Kyousuke yelled, unable to stop. Eventually, Midnight stopped whipping him as Gajeel overheard what Kyousuke was yelled, confirming his suspicion about his worry for him. Hearing that made the pain he currently felt disappear; now he could only feel warmth.

" _That kid...he's too damn stubborn."_ Gajeel thought to himself, grinning as a result. Midnight saw this and was put into disbelief, unable to understand how Gajeel could pull off such an expression. It made him angry that he was grinning in the midst of all this suffering when he "should be in pain".

"You've been through all this pain and you're smiling? You make no sense…" Midnight explained. He had something in mind though, and it was a sure-fire method to get Kyousuke to "confess". "This last barrage should kill you, thanks to it being enhanced with my magic. I might not be able to use magic directly, but I can infuse it within other weapons. I hope you're ready to say goodbye to your pathetic life." Midnight explained, infusing his magic with the whip as Gajeel continued to smile. The latter simply couldn't accept that; a situation like this couldn't kill him so easily. Kyousuke, having heard what he said though, was paralyzed by those very words. It wasn't long before he was sent into a complete mental breakdown.

" _No…"_ Kyousuke thought in shock. That statement alone put him into despair, but…it couldn't happen. It was not bound to happen, and it wasn't going to happen. His magic energy suddenly exploded, taking form as Midnight's attention was directed to Kyousuke. "Lay a finger on him and I will burn you to a crisp. I will not let a pathetic excuse for a wizard destroy my temple!" Kyousuke said in a stern voice that got progressively deeper as he evolved. A dark mist enveloped the chains he was in and broke him free, allowing him to take form as he morphed into a plasmatic being of great size. He looked like a dragon-human hybrid; human form but with dragon wings and limbs, covered in a plasmatic substance. At first he puked out a pool of plasma that covered Midnight, brutally burning him. His illusions didn't save him from the plasma.

"What the hell is this?! It burns!" He screamed, running out of the area as he desperately attempted to free himself of the plasma. The very room they were in reverted to a modern place, looking like a base the empire controlled. This only gave light to another realization: Midnight cast an illusion on the room to invoke further despair into them. Gajeel, being held up by the chains still, burned himself free of them as he fell helplessly, unable to move very quickly as a result of the pain inflicted upon him. Seeing him fall, Kyousuke flew to him and grabbed him, holding him gently as he flew out of the room and searched the empire. Gajeel, being held by Kyousuke, could only grin as a result of what Kyousuke was doing.

"Did you really think I was gonna die? You've got to be more faithful than that." Gajeel questioned light-heartedly, Kyousuke looking at him in his plasma mode. His skin was completely blue with particles floating about, reminiscent of Theotrin's skin, except that his eye shape was that of his own. His voice became noticeably deeper, being on par with Gajeel's own and sounding much more formal.

"It's just me being an emotional basket-case Gajeel; you're much stronger than me in that regard." Kyousuke explained as Gajeel only chuckled. "I'm just glad that you're okay."

"I'm the leader of Stealth Overdrive, what else did you expect?" Gajeel stated, believing that he would've survived the torture. Within seconds, Kyousuke flew into a storage room that contained what he was looking for, unintentionally attracting the attention of soldiers as they flew into the room and attempted to surround the two.

"Put your hands in the...what the hell is that?" The soldier questioned, seeing Kyousuke in his new form. Gajeel, however, got up from his arms and managed to muster some strength, using his iron dragon's club to take out the soldiers with ease, despite how much it hurt. However, he was quick to fall to his knees after that attack alone.

"Dammit, this isn't gonna last long." Gajeel said painfully, holding his stomach as the blood continued to drip. Kyousuke managed to use the time to retrieve their stuff, using an electrical wave to shatter all the glass cases for the units and search for their stuff. They were more like slots where you could store baggage containing items, in which their stuff would most likely be put into baggage as well. Using his electricity, given his enhanced mode, he was able to utilize some sort of x-ray vision, finding their stuff bundled together as he grabbed it, running back to Gajeel as more soldiers came by. Gajeel was in enough pain as it is with blood dripping from his mouth and chest, being surrounded by soldiers.

"Surrender now or we will proceed with force." The soldier demanded. Gajeel could only look at them angrily, having been too injured with the whip to properly move. He tried to stand up regardless, shocking Kyousuke as he didn't want him to push himself anymore. Gajeel, however, was insistent on doing so.

"Get the heck out of here, I can take them." Gajeel told Kyousuke, hoping to get him to safety. Kyousuke, however, knew that was a load of crap, especially in Gajeel's current condition. Seeing the predicament they were in, Kyousuke knew they could only do one thing, and he gave the soldiers a vital piece of information.

"What you desire is not what you seek. You will find out soon that there are other things worth more importance." Kyousuke explained, surprising the soldiers. This was it, he grabbed Gajeel and carried him, seeing a window of the "ship" he assumed they were in and took off after it. Using all the force he could muster, he shattered through the window, putting all the soldiers into shock as the two fell from the ship, falling through the giant sky. They were so high up that they could only see clouds covering the surface, falling slowly to get to them. Holding Gajeel, Kyousuke slowly reverted back to his human form as the mode he was in dissipated, grabbing him tightly. He had never felt so close to him than he was now. "Tell me Gajeel, why can't I bear seeing you in pain?! Why do I panic when I see you this way, I don't know why I feel this…" Kyousuke started explaining, being shocked as Gajeel calmed him down with a simple hand on his face. It didn't matter that they were falling through the sky and could possibly hit the ground, breaking some bones while they were at it. All that mattered was that they were safe, and they were able to break free. Gajeel looked at Kyousuke with a grin on his face, understanding it all, his hand and the energy coursing through it being able to sooth Kyousuke's troubles.

"You worry too damn much, but I knew you'd realize it at some point. I'm supposed to be your partner, isn't that right?" Gajeel explained, surprising Kyousuke. Still aimlessly falling through the sky, Kyousuke burrowed his head into Gajeel's chest as the latter held him tightly, feeling his tears coming out onto his own chest. The sensation of being held together, of being protected and healed; it made them both feel elated. Never had they felt the power of a soul bond such as this emanate so powerfully. Falling through the sky as they held each other; what could be more perfect?

Eventually, Gajeel turned his head and realized that they were about to hit sand dunes, falling into them as he closed his eyes and held Kyousuke even tighter.

"This is it; get ready!" He shouted, prompting Kyousuke to hold him tighter. It wasn't long before they were about to hit the ground, yet it felt like...water? The two fell inside a large bubble of water, falling through it as Gajeel opened his eyes and realized what was happening. Soon enough, they fell to the ground and the water bubble burst, leaving Gajeel and Kyousuke on the sand as the former helped the latter up. "Can you move?" Gajeel questioned, just as Kyousuke got up and stretched.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. What the heck just happened?" Kyousuke wondered, prompting Gajeel to look around. Eventually he spotted a shocking sight, a blue-haired woman in shambles who he knew from before. That was where the water bubble came from. Walking up a bit closer, his perception of the woman became more vivid, and it confirmed his suspicions.

"Juvia!" He shouted in shock, running over to her in his battered condition as Kyousuke followed. He ran up to Juvia and picked her up, seeing her in in a battered condition similar to his own, except there wasn't much blood present. She was clearly worn out, shown when she slowly moved her head and saw Gajeel. Seeing him made her widen her eyes a bit and smile out of relief.

"Gajeel! You have no idea how glad I am to see you." She said weakly, just as Gajeel stood up and held her. She was barely able to move, crawling amongst the ground as she saved Gajeel and Kyousuke from that long fall, prompting Gajeel to carry her around for the time being. The amount of physical strain made from creating that water bubble in her condition must've been quite the handful.

"What the hell happened to you; you can barely move." Gajeel wondered in surprise, prompting Juvia to explain.

"It's a long story, but I've been without water for days. I'm completely dehydrated and have nothing to drink." Juvia explained. Gajeel could tell, especially since she couldn't even walk in these sand dunes. How she was able to create that water bubble was beyond him. Before they could continue, Gajeel and Kyousuke turned to see two others that they knew, still being clothed and in much better condition than they were.

"Daniel and Sophia, you two are okay!" Kyousuke said relieved, glad to see them as Gajeel looked at them calmly. Sophia and Daniel both landed in parachutes, having their own stuff as well and walking up to the three in shock. Seeing them covered in blood put them in a state of worry, especially Sophia.

"What the hell happened to you two?! You're bleeding profusely! I've NEVER seen you two in such bad shape!" Sophia shouted in shock, just as Daniel saw it too. He was quite shocked himself.

"Yeah, no kidding; what the heck did they do to you?"

"They put us through a good round of torture, that's what happened." Gajeel stated calmly, holding Juvia. The other two were in shock, prompting Sophia to quickly pull out her medical kit and get to work. She started with Kyousuke, knowing that Gajeel was holding Juvia and he wouldn't need it as much as Kyousuke did. He would've made her heal Kyousuke first anyways.

"Man, these guys really put you threw some rounds. I guess it's lucky that we were interrogated through methods not involving torture." Daniel explained as Sophia cleaned up Kyousuke's wounds with a wet cloth. Kyousuke remained calm, being able to withstand the pain as she cleaned him up, looking somewhat better with scars from the whip being prominent.

"So then, what happened to you two?" Kyousuke wondered, prompting Sophia to explain.

"We were cuffed and ordered around the ship as they attempted to interrogate us before they resorted to 'torture'. That must've been when you two were being tortured. I guess it was thanks to Daniel's smarts that we were able to break free and escape with our stuff." Sophia explained, prompting Daniel to raise a brow.

"You 'guess'? Come on now, you know that was the reason we're here right now." He argued, prompting Sophia to admit he was right for once.

"Alright fine, he _is_ the reason we're here right now. Happy?"

"Yep." Daniel stated as Kyousuke shook his head. Having cleaned up Kyousuke, she proceeded to bandage him with a roll of medical tape, preparing to do so when the group heard a loud noise approaching them, sort of like a machine.

"What's that?!" Daniel questioned, bringing the group's attention to the noise as they saw sand being thrown up. It wasn't long before it was revealed, putting a grin on Gajeel's face as the group witnessed their partner come up in what could be called a "flying, topless car".

"There you are; I was wondering how I was going to find you in these dunes." Pantherlily stated, relieving the group as they stared at him thankfully.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you!" Sophia exclaimed, putting a smile on Pantherlily's face.

It wasn't long before the group got situated on the flying vehicle and took off. Pantherlily drove whilst everyone sat down and recovered; of course Gajeel was insistent on driving at first, but everyone made him sit down and recover from his wounds. Because of that, Sophia took the opportunity to bandage Gajeel and clean him up, getting him to look much nicer than before. Concerning Juvia, it was lucky that they carried a couple canteens full of water, and so they had her drink them in order to regain her strength. She wasn't fully recovered just yet, but she was able to move and was in much better condition than before at least. She was surprised to see Gajeel here of all places, which made her question it.

"It's been so long since I've seen you Gajeel. What's happened?" Juvia questioned, prompting Gajeel to explain.

"I've got no clue on how we got in this world in the first place, but what you see here is Stealth Overdrive." Gajeel explained, prompting Daniel to go into further detail.

"We've been all over the place searching for important objects and items, taking each step closer in taking down this "empire" that's been trying to take over the world. I'm Daniel, she's Sophia, this is Kyousuke, and Gajeel, as you may not already know, is the leader." Daniel explained, surprising Juvia.

"Wow, that's interesting to hear." Juvia stated, "Is Pantherlily a part of the team too?"

"Yeah, he is." Gajeel stated. Pantherlily chimed in on it himself.

"It's a long story too, but yes, I am a part of the team." He explained, clearing up the confusion for Juvia. She was surprised enough as it is, seeing Gajeel here of all places with all these other people she didn't know. Juvia did have a certain someone on her mind for a while, but she felt that this wasn't the best time to bring him up, especially in front of all these people that would immediately question her for it. Aside from her, Daniel was curious as to how Pantherlily managed to find them in the first place. One doesn't just magically find someone out in desert sand dunes like these, especially if you're leaving from a school.

"There's something I'm wondering," He questioned, "how in the heck did you find us Pantherlily?"

"You're clothing. They contain tracking devices that I was able to use in order to pin-point your location. I'm surprised that you don't remember; it was your idea." Pantherlily explained. Daniel then remembered it himself.

"Oh yeah, that's right. I forgot about that; we never use the things anyway." He stated calmly, prompting Sophia to look up and shake her head. Gajeel and Kyousuke, on the other hand, were on their way to healing completely, unable to get the situation they just went through off of their minds. Surprisingly enough, Gajeel was the first to speak on the issue.

"There ain't no way we're gonna let those freaks get away with this crap." Gajeel stated, surprising the group. They all stared at him in wonder, wondering what he was going to do about it, but having an idea: good old vengeance.

"Are you thinking about revenge?" Daniel questioned, prompting Gajeel to immediately confirm it.

"That's right. Next time we're gonna kick their asses and show them that they can't mess with us." Gajeel explained invoking excitement throughout the group as everyone was quick to agree.

"Now that sounds like a plan." Kyousuke said with a smirk.

"I knew this would happen at some point; why not just get it over with?" Sophia said excitedly.

"I'm good with it, what about you Pantherlily?" Daniel questioned. The exceed was still focused on driving, but was able to give his own input on the plan.

"After everything they've put us through, there would be nothing better than some sweet revenge. You can count me in." Pantherlily stated, ready for vengeance as much as everyone else was. Juvia was a bit confused, having no idea of what was really going on, but she would be updated with the info soon enough. With that, the group was ready to get revenge, and nothing was going to stop them. Gajeel and Kyousuke, however, would've been the two who were most intent on getting revenge, especially after having been put through those rounds of torture earlier. Seeing Gajeel in the state he was really affected Kyousuke, and he wasn't about to let them get away with it, especially after all the crap they pulled on him throughout his lifetime. He was filled with hatred just thinking about them, only increasing his desire to get revenge.

"When I get my hands on them, they're not gonna have a chance to regret it. One thing's for sure: I'll never forget the stunt they pulled on us today." Kyousuke said calmly. Gajeel could tell that it really affected him just by looking at him and seeing the hatred seething out of his eyes from making that statement. Seeing him made him realize that it could have affected him quite a bit, more than he originally thought. There were a lot of things they had in common, and that only made it easier for Gajeel to help Kyousuke out. The real question is: What about Gajeel himself?


	13. Chapter 13: The Attraction Is Real

Chapter 13: The Attraction Is Real

It was going to be a while for the group until they got back to the base, and knowing that, decided they ought to delay their plans of revenge for a bit. Making their attack unsuspecting would be the best way to deal with it, and besides, with all that they've currently gone through, they needed a chance to relax. For once Gajeel was okay with it, agreeing that the group should probably take a breather in order to regenerate their energy and be able to get back on the move. Everyone else agreed as well, and Juvia, well...she really didn't have much choice in the matter. Sophia was the first to start "mapping out" the rest of the day.

"Well I've got some cash on me, so we can buy supplies that we need if necessary." Sophia explained. Daniel was already attempting to relax, lying back and throwing out some ideas of his own. He was clearly sick and tired of working, and it was evident that a change of pace was required.

"What we really need to use the money for is for a nice restaurant, somewhere where we can just order something nice and indulge in some good food for once." Daniel explained. "We can eat a nice, cooked steak, or we can indulge in some delicious lobster, or perhaps even some roasted chicken."

"We get the point Daniel." Sophia stated annoyed, stopping him from going on and on. A restaurant may have sounded out of the blue and quite unusual for the group, but it happened to be quite the idea. Kyousuke wasn't against the idea; in fact, he was actually up for it.

"That doesn't sound too bad actually. We always are dealing with the empire, so to be able to get away from all that stressful crap for once would be nice." Kyousuke pointed out, getting the others to agree. Juvia couldn't help but think of how tragic it was that she couldn't be near her beloved, and started sulking to herself over it.

" _Oh dear, if only I were here with my beloved Gray; sitting out at a beautiful cafe next to the sparkling riverside as it flows past the two of us...what could be more divine!"_ Juvia thought to herself, getting lost again as Daniel looked at her perplexed. Juvia being lost in dreamland was evident in her unusual facial expressions, prompting Daniel to immediately question her.

"Ugh...are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine!" Juvia said, sulking over how she was unable to obtain that very desire. Daniel sort of broke her thoughts and upset her, yet he couldn't help but look at her with even more puzzlement.

"Alright, if you say so." Daniel said, continuing to stare at her and wonder what in the world she was doing. All in all though, Gajeel, being the leader, had the final say, and so it was up to him whether they could go to a nice, fancy restaurant or not. Before he was about to give his input however, Pantherlily chimed in.

"We need to do more important things such as continuing our work on the blast module Gajeel and I have been working on, preparing the NovaGlider and all our other utilities for the guild back at the school, setting up a private meeting with the empire in order to gauge more information and possibly discuss going to war, setting up…" Pantherlily explained, putting Daniel and Sophia into complete, bitter horror as they had no room for relaxation.

"But but…."

"This isn't fair! We never get a break!" They both say respectively. Kyousuke, however, wasn't so easily convinced. He had never heard of a "blast module" in progress of being made before.

"You're kidding, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm just kidding. The looks on their faces though were priceless!" Pantherlily said whilst laughing over it all, prompting Daniel to fall to his side in shock and for Sophia to start crying over it.

"You're so mean! I was about to have a heart attack over it all and you are just laughing at me over my horrific, tragic experience!"

"Jeez, learn to take a joke." Pantherlily stated with slight disappointment. Still, Gajeel had the final say, and after having been interrupted by that joke, was about to give his input until he was interrupted, yet again.

"These jokes of yours are gonna kill me! You have to stop!" Daniel shouted in frustration. At that moment, Gajeel became fed up.

"Will you two shut the hell up?! Do you want to go to the restaurant or not?!"

"Yes! Yes, I'm sorry." Daniel said, lying off as Gajeel explained.

"Alright then, we're going, now quit your whining." Gajeel explicitly stated, prompting Daniel and Sophia to zip it as the group sat there and waited until they made it into an urban area, still being in desert sand dunes as they flattened out and became more of just a desert. As they waited, Kyousuke couldn't stop thinking of what happened at the ship. While he was still upset over the way they were tortured, he also couldn't stop thinking of the dragon mode he entered. The blue skin, the plasma, the dragon wings...what in the world was it? Kyousuke held up one of his hands and stared at it, remembering how it came from him and how he was the one who did it.

"What the hell happened to me up there?" Kyousuke questioned out loud. Everyone looked at him in surprise as he went into detail. "I didn't think my Plasma Dragon Slayer magic would surface at such a strange time."

"Plasma Dragon Slayer magic?" Daniel questioned in shock. Gajeel was most surprised, staring at Kyousuke in shock as Sophia questioned it herself.

"But...don't you use Electric Dragon Slayer magic?"

"Yeah, I do, but there's this other dragon slayer magic lying dormant within me that I can only activate at certain times. Well...my Electric Dragon Slayer magic is my main magic, but I can enter an 'Electric Plasma Dragon mode" if that's what you want to call it. I can only use Plasma Dragon Slayer magic in conjunction with my Electric Dragon Slayer magic." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel realized what he meant, having some of this similar magic usage of his own.

"Oh...you mean this?" Gajeel stated, holding his arm out as a black mist engulfed his arm. Kyousuke looked at him in shock, realizing that he was in the same predicament.

"You can do the same thing?!"

"Yeah, it's my Iron Shadow Dragon mode." Gajeel explained, surprising the group. Sophia and Daniel were most surprised, including Juvia somewhat, but Pantherlily already knew about this type of magic from before.

"I never knew you could do that Gajeel." Sophia said in shock. Gajeel knew how to hide things from people, and most people would know nothing about him because he was such a mystery to people. Nevertheless, the group liked him, and that's what mattered.

"So basically," Daniel stated, "if Gajeel wanted to use his Shadow Dragon Slayer magic, he would have to use it with his Iron Dragon Slayer magic?"

"Yeah." Gajeel confirmed, prompting Daniel to ask yet another question.

"But then why can you not use it alone?" He questioned. Kyousuke went on to explain.

"It's not our native magic. We would've most likely absorbed it from another dragon slayer in order to be able to use it." Kyousuke explained, surprising Sophia and Daniel.

"Wait, you can eat another person's magic power?!"

"Yeah. Gajeel must've done that in order to get his Shadow Dragon Slayer magic, but I don't know where my Plasma Dragon Slayer magic came from. It's possible that I might have forgotten, but I can't remember it coming from anyone in particular." Kyousuke explained, further bewildering the group. The group couldn't help him out with that one, but at least they knew that the two had more powerful magic lying dormant beneath their tough surfaces. Kyousuke, however, looked back at his hand again, remembering how he was able to fly, which perplexed him most. Ordinarily, that didn't happen when you entered such a mode. " _Why did I undergo such a strange mutation?"_ Kyousuke thought to himself perplexed. He couldn't understand why he sprouted those wings when he did, and because of that he put it aside for the time being. He couldn't just sit there thinking about everything that happened; he had more fun things to do. It was time for him to relax.

* * *

Eventually the group managed to arrive in a city, one closer to their base. It was run down and old, but managed to provide services for those driving in and out, which was helpful to say the least. Pantherlily realized that the vehicle carrying them wasn't going to push much longer since I was running low on fuel.

"We're gonna have to stop and get fuel; it's almost empty." Pantherlily informed, the group nodding in response. Despite the dramatic amount of attention the group would receive concerning the vehicle they were in, they had to stop by a gas-station in order to refuel. It was strange enough having to refuel such advanced technology using gasoline, but that's just how this vehicle worked. Finding a nearby gas-station, Pantherlily parked the flying vehicle in front of one of the refueling stations and got out of the driver's seat, going on ahead to refuel it using Sophia's cash as the group sat down and waited. As expected, they received stares of shock and bewilderment from everyone else driving ordinary vehicles such as cars and trucks, but that didn't concern them. It made Juvia feel a bit uncomfortable, but Gajeel couldn't care less.

"Well this is certainly a bit awkward." Juvia stated, Gajeel merely ignoring it. Kyousuke was surprised, but didn't really care much anyways.

"Do they know who we really are?" Kyousuke questioned. Gajeel doubted it.

"Nah, these people are morons and besides, we've never been in this part of town as a group like this." Gajeel explained. Knowing that, Kyousuke just sat back and waited, unable to really do much besides stand by Pantherlily while he refueled if he chose to, but that wasn't really worth it to him. He could hear some of the gossip people brought up as a result, especially concerning Pantherlily.

"Is that a...cat?"

"It looks like some sort of cat-human hybrid."

"Ugh, it looks hideous." People gossiped, upsetting not only Pantherlily, but the group as well. Sophia was especially angry.

"These people really are idiots." Sophia said in disgust, everyone else agreeing. They decided to ignore it, the people not being worth their time as the gossip became more apparent.

"These people must be aliens!"

"Come on, that's ludicrous. They look all normal, except for the cat."

"But do you see that flying car just floating right there?! Talk about aliens!" They go on and on. One of them walked up to Kyousuke from the side and was about to give him trouble, just as Kyousuke shot him a disgusted glare.

"Hey kid, what happened, did you get a booboo?" One of the guys taunted, laughing afterwards as Kyousuke looked at him disgusted. As a response, he got up right in his face and told him the truth.

"No, I was brutally tortured by my own nemesis for answers regarding a phenomenon that could easily kill you all before I burned him to a crisp." Kyousuke explained in a dark, menacing tone, instilling complete fear and horror into the guy as he looked at Kyousuke in a fright, Kyousuke just sat back and made an offer. "I could show you if you'd like."

"No thanks! I'm good!" He said, running off fearfully as Kyousuke sat back and smiled with the rest of the group. They were quite impressed.

"You sure intimidated him." Sophia stated as Kyousuke shrugged his shoulders. Another guy came up behind Daniel and pulled him out of the vehicle, restraining him as the guy laughed over his predicament. The group was shocked, looking over to see Daniel in his tight situation.

"I don't like creeps coming into my gas-station, so you better get the hell out of here before things get ugly." The guy explained. Daniel was unimpressed, prompting to further question the guy for his own personal entertainment.

"Say what?"

"You heard me, get the hell out of here or things are gonna get ugly. I've got a knife on me and I'm not afraid to use it."

"Oh really, a knife?" Daniel questioned, chuckling as the guy looked at him angrily.

"What? What the hell's so funny to you?"

"Oh nothing, except that a knife's not gonna stop me. You've got to be craftier than that." Daniel stated, elbowing the guy behind him in the stomach and breaking himself free. The guy behind him became infuriated and attempted to attack with his knife, only to be punched in the face by Daniel himself. The guy stumbled back and fell to the ground as Daniel jumped back into the vehicle, ready to leave as Pantherlily had finished refueling.

"Alright, let's get out of this place." Pantherlily said, already having been disgusted with the comments he's received. As they were about to leave, a large woman came out of the gas-station itself, running up to the vehicle and holding it down, preventing them from leaving. Her strength with the vehicle was shocking, especially if it was enough to stop the vehicle from taking off.

"What the hell?!" Pantherlily shouted in frustration, prompting everyone except Gajeel to turn and see the large woman. She looked very angry and strangely enough, hungry, and she was very demanding.

"None of you are gonna be leaving my gas-station with my fuel! You freaks are gonna clean up this mess and drain that junk of yours of all my fuel!" She yelled, further frustrating the group. Juvia was frightened herself.

"Oh dear, what in the world is this woman doing here?" She said in shock, unable to say much. The large woman looked rather bulky, looking more like a square than a human, and kept yelling at everyone. She was quite rude and had the audacity to insult everyone there.

"This beast of a "cat" isn't gonna be taking my fuel! You all are a bunch of monsters, including this long-haired freak over here! What are you, the leader of this pathetic mob?! You kids and your ridiculous ideas, I'd jail you if I had the chance." She said insultingly, referring to Gajeel at the last part. Everyone in the group was sent into shock, especially Sophia, who put her hands on her mouth in shock. She just insulted him, and it wasn't going to go very far.

"She didn't…"

"Oh well, it's over now." Daniel stated calmly as Kyousuke watched the whole ordeal with an intense gaze. Even Kyousuke knew that Gajeel wasn't someone you should screw with, much like Kyousuke himself. Gajeel, who previously wasn't paying attention to her, turned to her and fixed his gaze on her, an intense death stare that would send chills down one's spine. Everyone knew that he was going to teach her a lesson.

"You wanna say that again?" Gajeel questioned darkly, waiting for her response as the large woman stupidly went on again. She certainly didn't have much intelligence, that's for sure.

"Yeah, I said that your hair's too long. Get it cut, you're a man! Or are you just a sissy, little girl?"

"Listen up you oversized brawn!" Gajeel yelled, getting off of the vehicle and walking up to the woman angrily. Every step he took managed to make her take a step back, somehow having become afraid of him in that instant. "There ain't no way in hell I'm gonna let your fat ass tell me or anyone in this group what to do, that's my job. If I have to get up just to set you straight because you keep whining, you better learn to shut your damn mouth!" Gajeel yelled, using his Iron Dragon's Club on the woman and pummeling her through the wall of the store next to the gas-station. Everyone on the vehicle watched in alarm as Gajeel laid the smack down on that woman, leaving her utterly defeated as Gajeel popped his knuckles afterwards. "Next time we come, if we ever show up, we're gonna get everything we want, and there's nothing you're gonna do about it, so you better keep your mouth shut!" Gajeel ordered, the woman unable to respond as a result. Everyone watched completely dumbfounded as Gajeel got back in the vehicle and sat like normal, acting as if it was completely normal. "Alright, let's get out of this dump." Gajeel ordered, prompting Pantherlily to take off as the people there were in shock over the scene that just took place. Everyone was left speechless over what just happened, having expected it before. Sophia was able to muster something though.

"Well, we all should've seen that coming." Sophia said calmly, trying not to overreact. Juvia was in complete shock, never having seen Gajeel do something like this before.

"Oh no, Gajeel's become a monster!" She screamed, prompting Gajeel to angrily retort.

"What the hell's your problem?! I had to teach that woman a lesson!" He yelled angrily, stopping her from going on. Kyousuke looked at Gajeel somewhat fearfully, remembering what the woman said to him about his hair. He liked his hair, a lot.

"Please don't cut your hair," Kyousuke said, surprising Gajeel, "I like your hair the way it is."

"Awww, he likes your hair!" Sophia said with a cute face, annoying Kyousuke.

"I don't mean bring up the lovey-dovey crap!" Kyousuke shouted angrily, unable to stop her as she continued to fantasize over how "cute" that was. Gajeel just ruffled his hair happily, having a grin on his face because of it.

"Don't worry, that's not going to happen." Gajeel stated calmly. Kyousuke was relieved about that; his attachment to Gajeel's hair wasn't just when he was drunk!

* * *

Now since that was finished, it was time to head to the restaurant that they've wanted to go to. They got clothed in their regular outfits once again, being at least somewhat formal with the restaurant, and decided to head in. It was a restaurant called "Amor Anima" and it specialized in all sorts of different types of dishes. It was a good place to go to in order to relax for once and take a break, especially concerning all the group had been doing this whole time. Out of place, yet perfect for the occasion. They entered through the front doors, luckily coming across during a good time when there weren't many people around, and they got a seat rather quickly. It was thanks to the host who recognized the team as Stealth Overdrive, giving them instant access to the restaurant as a thank you gift for their services. There were six of them, so it was easy to find a table to sit them all down at, and they all looked through the menus and did whatever. It was beautiful; elegant, red tables with beautiful plants in vases on the tables as a black and red patterned carpet covered the floor, followed by white walls that were perfectly clean and flat, adding more beauty to the room. Even lights that made the room seem like an Aquarium were present, adding more flair and style to the place. At the table they were at, on one side Gajeel sat at the end, followed by Kyousuke, and finalized by Pantherlily; on the other side sat Daniel, followed by Sophia, and lastly there was Juvia. Sophia couldn't help but notice how everyone else there were in dresses or fancy clothing, which somehow upset her because she was still in her Stealth Overdrive outfit, having nothing else to wear.

"This sucks; I wish there was a nice dress I could've at least worn here so I don't look so out of place." She said in disappointment, surprising Daniel.

"We just survived the disaster of the Xandolian Empire Sophia; there's no way we could've been able to get a nice dress or anything." Daniel explained, unintentionally upsetting Sophia as a result.

"But I just feel so rude coming in like this." Sophia complained. Daniel realized that he wouldn't be able to convince her otherwise, and so he just gave up on it. At that moment, a waiter came by and took everyone's order for beverages, moving on to get them and leaving them to decide what they want for dinner. Daniel used this opportunity to direct her attention elsewhere by looking at the menu and asking everyone what they were going to order.

"So then, what's everyone going to be ordering tonight?" He questioned curiously. Juvia couldn't decide on a "perfect dish" as she liked to call it, and Sophia was upset about the dress and didn't figure out what she wanted for dinner just yet. Gajeel didn't really know what to order, so he simply ordered a nice, big lobster for dinner as did Kyousuke, who really couldn't decide either.

"I haven't eaten lobster before; I'll give it a shot and see what I think." Kyousuke stated as Daniel nodded.

"What about you Gajeel?"

"I'm getting the same thing. There's not much I'm interested in." He explained, Daniel nodding once more. At that moment, the waiter came back with their drinks and took their dinner orders, everyone having figured out what they wanted. With that, the waiter took off to get their meals prepared as everyone sat and waited, drinking and talking about whatever. Sophia got wine herself, and it made Kyousuke question her on it.

"You better be careful Sophia; I know what happens when you're drunk." Kyousuke stated, prompting everyone else to agree.

"Tell me about it; this is why I don't let you drink my whiskey." Daniel stated, embarrassing Sophia somewhat. What happened to her last time left her embarrassed for a while.

"Oh I know...I don't need to be reminded of the disgusting things that happen when I'm drunk." Sophia said nervously. Gajeel liked to pick on her with these kinds of things, and this was the perfect opportunity.

"Yeah, did you ever get a new pair of pants on?" Gajeel reminded her, prompting her to comeback with something she knows he'll deny.

"HOWEVER, the questions I asked Gajeel on that very night held some sort of VALIDITY!"

"You're full of it! You were just rambling on about the stupidest possibilities and that's not valid!" Gajeel shouted, prompting Sophia to narrow her eyes cunningly. She wasn't so easily fooled.

"I may have been drunk, but I know you have feelings for him, just you wait...they will surface at some point." Sophia said with a smirk on her face, winking and annoying Gajeel somewhat. At that moment, the two of them turned to see Kyousuke blushing uncontrollably, confirming that he has feelings for him. Kyousuke soon realized that they were staring at him, and because he was blushing, he was easily irritated by such.

"What are you staring at me for?!" He shouted, just as Sophia twirled her hair and grinned deviously.

"Oh it's nothing...just the law of physical attraction at play here." Sophia explained, frustrating Kyousuke. Gajeel was just getting angry at her, but Kyousuke couldn't take it; he really did have strong feelings for him. Sweat started to pour from his face as he continued to blush, unable to control it as the other two argued.

"Do you really think that what you said when you were drunk was true?"

"Of course I do! I may have acted like an idiot while I was drunk, but there is no doubting that there is something going on between you two." Sophia explained. Gajeel could only chuckle at her statements, surprising her.

"Oh yeah, is it because there's something going on between you and Daniel?" Gajeel questioned, shocking Sophia. This was the bulls-eye; she blushed immediately and freaked out, prompting Daniel to freak out over it as well.

"Hey! Don't bring me into this! It's crazy enough dealing with love as it is." Daniel explained. Sophia, however, immediately doubted that she held any sort of attraction to Daniel.

"That's not true! He is the most frustrating person to deal with at times! I can't believe you would say that!" Sophia said in shock, witnessing Gajeel laugh over the whole ordeal. Seeing him laugh made her even more frustrated, unable to understand how he could come up with such a strange assumption. Gajeel just pushed her buttons even more for the heck of it.

"You know, you can't get arrested for falling in love."

"Shut up! I'm not in love with him!" Sophia retorted. Daniel was just fine with that; the amount of drama and trouble's he perceived when it came to love were just too much for him to deal with. He would rather sleep in, play video games, have fun with the group and drink whiskey rather than worry about what his "love interest" might be up to today. Sophia immediately denied it because it was the strangest thing to her; why would she ever want to be in love with Daniel? She liked him as a friend, but he just wasn't going to fit the page for her. Juvia could only sit back and watch in complete shock, losing herself over it and her "beloved".

" _Oh, if only my beloved Gray were here to witness this; we would be the perfect example of the love they're trying to describe! Oh…"_ Juvia thought to herself, thinking about Gray Fullbuster once again. He came up to her and grabbed her hands, getting up close to her and saying,

" _Juvia! We're the perfect example of the love they seek! Will you marry me?"_

" _Of course I will my darling! I will gladly be your wife!"_ Juvia said in response, imagining getting married with him as Pantherlily could only stare at her in bewilderment. This wasn't the first time this happened, as previously demonstrated.

"There she goes again." He stated, having witnessed the drama that broke out because of it all. Gajeel then decided to lie off, having pushed her enough to satisfy himself as Sophia dealt with the awkwardness of the assumption Gajeel made about her and Daniel. Kyousuke, however, became overwhelmed by his feelings once again. It was just love, the love he had, it was controlling him. He stared around in shock, constantly seeing couples dating as their words became twisted into those of love, words of love; powerful, potent words of love.

"Oh Derick, you're the man for me."

"I didn't know you wanted to give me a kiss."

"Tanya, I need to tell you that I'm in love with you. You're just so hot." They go on and on and on and on. Kyousuke couldn't handle it, the love controlling him and his every impulse. Being around Juvia only influenced him even more, and hearing the love drama was beginning to control his mind. He was so…no, he couldn't think of it. It was one look at Gajeel, ironically being timed so well for Gajeel to stare right back into his eyes that broke it all.

" _He's….so…..attract…dammit, no!"_ Kyousuke thought to himself angrily. He desperately needed a breather, and instantly got up, surprising the group as he stood there, shaking from the adrenaline rush of the intense emotions he felt. "I'll be right back." Kyousuke said, immediately taking off and putting the group into a statement of puzzlement. Kyousuke wasn't necessarily emotional, but the way he took off was strange, as if he wanted to get away from this place. Gajeel, as usual, was going to go check on him himself.

"I'll be back; just give me a second." Gajeel said calmly, going after Kyousuke as everyone looked at him surprised. Sophia was especially surprised, wondering if it had to do with the discussion that just took place. Her wonder of such led her to do something quite surprising.

Outside, Kyousuke lied against the building, thinking about stuff as Gajeel came out soon after. Having his hands in his pockets, he was surprised to see Kyousuke out here.

"You alright?" He questioned, prompting Kyousuke to respond.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed a break from all that love drama going on." Kyousuke explained, prompting Gajeel to chuckle. It was quite funny actually, but yet very dramatic as well. "Sophia sure likes to 'rub it in' if you know what I mean."

"Hell yeah she does. She can't shut up when it comes to other people's relationships." Gajeel explained. Sophia was actually eavesdropping on their conversation, hearing what they were discussing as they went on about it. She shook her head in disappointment over their gossip of her. "For some reason, she won't quit when it comes to ours." Gajeel stated, to which Kyousuke chuckled only slightly. As ironic as it was, she was onto something, but it wasn't necessarily on Gajeel's part. Kyousuke felt like he needed to reveal it, finally bring it to light.

"Gajeel, there's something you need to know." Kyousuke said calmly, getting his full attention. He looked at him with a calm, serious look, so potent that it could so easily destroy Kyousuke's confidence.

"Yeah, well then what is it?" He asked. Kyousuke had to muster up the confidence to say this, unsure whether or not it was the right time. He wasn't 100% sure, yet he was afraid that if it wasn't now, it could be never. Because of that alone, he decided to say it and tell him the truth.

"Well…" Kyousuke said, taking a deep breath before saying such, "I have deep feelings of intimacy for you."

It was revealed, Kyousuke had strong feelings for Gajeel and now he knows. Knowing that, Gajeel couldn't stop himself from blushing as he did earlier, but this time it was out of pure shock. He never really knew that those feelings coursed within him, and it was very shocking to say the least. He couldn't believe the words he was hearing from him; feelings of intimacy, for him?! Blushing, he just stared at Kyousuke speechless, unable to process a response as Kyousuke looked at him in shock and worry, starting to become upset. He was afraid of having unintentionally broken the relationship.

"Hey, I… "

"Wait, give me a second." Gajeel said, heading back into the restaurant as Sophia scurried her way back in before being noticed.

"But Gajeel…" Kyousuke said, watching as he went back in. He felt a bit upset by that response, not knowing how he really felt about it. "What have I done, what have I done…" Kyousuke said, covering his face as he slid down to the ground. There were so many feelings coursing through him that he couldn't feel right; nothing felt stable anymore. " _Please don't break this off."_ Kyousuke thought to himself, afraid of it all going. Inside, Gajeel just stood there in complete shock. Sophia, watching, couldn't understand why it was playing out like this; that's not what was "supposed" to happen.

" _Gajeel! What the hell are you doing?! Why are you so hesitant?"_ She thought to herself in shock, watching as Gajeel stared at both of his hands. He couldn't believe what was happening right now.

"First it was her, and now it's him. How the hell did this happen?" Gajeel questioned to himself, unable to figure out what to do about it. Sophia then realized why he hesitated; it was because of Levy.

" _Oh no, you don't mean...shit! Shit, dammit! No!"_ Sophia thought to herself angrily, having forgotten that she was an important part of the picture. She wanted to burst into tears over it, but she restrained herself, unable to stop some tears from pouring down her face as she felt so horrible. " _Why did I push him so much?! I just wanted him to be happy; I didn't know she still held some importance to him! I thought I could fix everything."_ Sophia thought to herself sadly. She wanted a relationship to start between the two of them to help Gajeel out, especially considering how he seemed to "shut down" and not be as expressive as he first was. She didn't even know of the theory behind "relatable partners", and yet she still pushed for their relationship, even if Kyousuke was the driving force behind it. But...there was her, and it is because of her that Gajeel was so hesitant. He couldn't believe it; that point cannot be stressed enough.

" _What the hell am I supposed to do; tell him off? No, not that. He's become too dependent; it'll crush him otherwise. I just…"_ Gajeel thought to himself in frustration, until he looked up and saw everyone else at the table. It was just the other three, but somehow it cleared his mind and made his perception more vivid. He saw what he could call a part of his "group", the Stealth Overdrive force. He had been away from Fairy Tail for so long that it was hard for him to reconnect, especially since he became so attached to this group that he became the leader of. He was a part of this now, and he realized that he needed to leave the past behind; he was a new person again. Fairy Tail may have helped him in the past, and he may return when they get back to Earthland, but for now, it was Stealth Overdrive. " _I'm sorry Levy; I hope you can understand."_ Gajeel thought to himself, coming down to a final decision. With that, he walked back out, putting Sophia into shock as she quickly ran out, eavesdropping again as Gajeel went up to Kyousuke, who was on the ground. Kyousuke looked up and saw Gajeel, seeing him with his serious expression as Kyousuke immediately jumped up, pummeling him with questions.

"Are you mad at me?! What is your decision?! Please don't be upset with me, I just can't control…" Kyousuke went on and on until Gajeel grabbed him by the shoulders. At that moment, everything just stopped, leaving only the two standing there as Kyousuke helplessly gazed into those powerful eyes of his; the domineering presence they had and the power they resonated. Under those penetrating eyes was a calm smile, which surprised Kyousuke and made him feel tremendous relief as he saw everything come back together.

"Calm down, everything's gonna be fine." Gajeel said, easing Kyousuke's stress. He then said the thing that confirmed it all, all the suspicions Sophia had about him and Kyousuke. "I guess Sophia was right, for once." Gajeel said somewhat embarrassingly, staring back at Sophia who watched the two. She gave them a thumbs up in response, smiling brightly and flailing her arms about in excitement.

" _I knew it! This is perfect; I'm so happy for him! I knew it would happen eventually! Faith is always on."_ Sophia thought to herself excitedly, watching for a little bit longer before heading back in to finish the dinner she ordered. Kyousuke, in shock over those very words, hugged Gajeel tightly, so relieved over his response and very happy as a result.

"Gajeel, you have no idea how happy this makes me!" Kyousuke said happily, holding him as Gajeel got him to stop for the time being.

"Yeah yeah, we can talk about this another time. We've still got that food we ordered, remember?" Gajeel stated, prompting Kyousuke to head back inside and go finish it. Gajeel followed from behind, happy as well over the following situation. He had never really felt so elated in so long, and he was feeling it again. "After this, we all gotta get back to work again." Gajeel said calmly, heading back in to finish the lobster he ordered. Now it was certain that something was going on, and it was certain that it was only going to grow stronger.


	14. Chapter 14: A Shocking Reality

Chapter 14: A Shocking Reality

What a crazy night one might say, because it was most definitely crazy. After having opened up to Gajeel about the feelings he had for him, Kyousuke went back in with him and finished up his dinner, keeping the drama low-key. Daniel was already ready to go to bed, having drunk some wine himself and being affected by the alcohol. Pantherlily and Juvia were okay, having finished up their meals and sat back afterwards, and Sophia was finishing up hers as well. Underneath that calm exterior was a heart beating so fast, having brought the two together as she had hoped for from the start, sending her onto a trail of pure excitement and joy. After having finished up, the group drove back to the base, the drive itself taking about an hour as the group just slept or sat there and waited. They soon got back to the base and realized that everything was fine and in the same condition they left it previously, having been gone for a couple of days because of that incident. The group got situated with the base again and Pantherlily helped Juvia to a room that she could stay in for the time being. The group couldn't risk going to the school again concerning the predicament they just escaped, and in order to time things correctly so that the empire won't be at the school, Juvia would be staying with them for a bit. Getting used to Gajeel being the leader though was going to be a bit strange. As for everyone else, they immediately went to bed and slept for the night, having been tired enough from it all as it was. They needed some serious rest, and now was the time to get it.

The next day was going to be the first day of their plan for vengeance, and they were going to come back at the empire real hard. Kyousuke, as usual, got up in the morning and headed out to either prepare or get breakfast. He slept in a bit longer this time, having woken up at 8:00 this time rather than an hour earlier.

"I slept in a bit, didn't I?" Kyousuke questioned himself. The night before was one heck of a night for him, so it was no wonder as to why he slept in. He then got up and headed out into the main area. There, he saw Sophia cooking breakfast as Daniel was playing video games, strangely enough. He was put into confusion upon this sight as Sophia and Daniel greeted him.

"Good Morning!" Sophia said cheerfully. You could tell that she was still excited over what happened, especially if it was enough to make her cook breakfast for everyone. The reason why though was the real question at hand. Daniel just said, "Hey," and continued playing his game as Kyousuke stood there in surprise.

"I'm surprised that the two of you are up before Gajeel is." Kyousuke stated calmly, surprising Sophia. She cooked pancakes, some of them in the shape of hearts, and set them down on the table, leaving them to anyone who was hungry. Juvia, having gotten up already herself, was the first to dive in, getting some and eating calmly as Sophia looked at Kyousuke surprised.

"Really? Last time I checked, I remember seeing him up before even I came out here." Sophia explained, surprising Kyousuke who looked at her perplexed. At that moment, just before he was about to head to the table, Kyousuke suddenly found himself pulled back into the hallway he just came out of, the door in front of him being shut as he was pulled into someone's arms that he knew of.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gajeel said with a grin, holding him as Kyousuke looked at him surprised. A warm smile covered his face as he realized what Gajeel was doing.

"There you are; I was looking for you." Kyousuke said calmly, looking at him as Gajeel pulled him up closer and put his head over Kyousuke's shoulder, keeping the same grin on his face. He was being surprisingly intimate all of a sudden.

"You were looking for me huh?" Gajeel said calmly, ruffling his hair again. "Well it looks like I found you."

"Yeah you did, there was no stopping you." Kyousuke said in response with a smirk. Gajeel moved his arms up and held his shoulders from behind as Kyousuke asked a question, being soothed by the dragon slayer's gestures. "Today's our first step towards revenge, right?"

"You got that right. It's gonna take a while, but we're gonna get payback." Gajeel said calmly. Kyousuke then turned around and became face-to-face with him, staring into his eyes as they were the only thing powerful enough to captivate his senses. Just seeing him somehow managed to fill Kyousuke with some sort of warmth, and it was a feeling that put him at ease and made him relax. Gajeel then got up close to him and asked him a serious question, staring him in the eyes as if he could control him with one look. "Are you ready?" Gajeel wondered as Kyousuke stared at him calmly. He was ready for it from the start.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Kyousuke questioned as Gajeel just grinned. Gajeel then stood up with a grin on his face, their moment ending as Gajeel went out into the main room, Kyousuke following from behind. Sophia couldn't help but put a devious smile on her face as if she knew of everything that happened and was going on, but Gajeel was able to play it off and act as if nothing happened, so nothing of it was brought up. In fact, what was more interesting to him at the moment was how Sophia managed to cook breakfast.

"So when do you decide to cook us breakfast?" Gajeel questioned as Sophia smiled. She was already fantasizing over it again as Pantherlily, who had gotten there when the two were still in the hallway, was listening in confusion.

"Oh I'm just in a good mood after you know what took place." Sophia said calmly, prompting Gajeel to shake his head in amusement. Pantherlily looked at him in surprise, having finished up on the meal that Sophia prepared for him, thanks to her exuberant mood.

"And what is that supposed to be?" Pantherlily questioned in wonder, prompting Kyousuke to be filled with annoyance on the inside. With Sophia blubbering about it on and on, it was almost bound to be revealed, and it being brought up now was not the right time for him.

" _Will she shut the hell up?!"_ Kyousuke thought to herself annoyed, watching as she danced about it whilst cooking; only making it more obvious. Checking on the amount she cooked, Kyousuke saw a breakthrough. "I think the pressing question would be: how in the hell are we going to store all this food?" Kyousuke stated bringing Gajeel and Pantherlily's attention to the food as it was piling up. She already had a stack of ten large pancakes as it was, and while they tasted fine, you couldn't expect the group to eat it all, especially if some of them already ate. Well, maybe Gajeel, but that would be hard to deal with when fighting someone difficult during a mission.

* * *

*(DRAMA MODE) pukes, it's all over the ground, screaming enemy as everyone freaks out and rushes to him in devastated concern in their own self-delusion over his "medical condition". Gajeel standing there in shock as can only wonder how this could've happened.

"Holy crap, what the hell's wrong with you?!" The enemy screams as he jumps about in shock.

"Gajeel, what in the hell is going on?!" Daniel shouts.

"What did these bastards inject you with?" Sophia screams in shock.

"No Gajeel! Now we can't make out like you promised!" Kyousuke shouts as Gajeel was standing there next to the puke, looking all grossed out.

"Gajeel, what in the world?" Pantherlily says in shock as well.*

* * *

Just bearing the thought of such was enough to stop them.

"Yeah, I'll eat two at the least." Kyousuke said, getting his fair share and putting butter on it. Pantherlily also got some pancakes for the sake of eating them up, and Gajeel, despite not wanting something so sweet, ate them for the sake of getting rid of them. Sophia, however, was too distracted to pick up on what Kyousuke mentioned and put another one on the stack, prompting an angry outrage from the three on the table as Juvia jumped in shock.

"QUIT COOKING PANCAKES!" The three yelled as Sophia jumped in shock and flipped another pancake unwillingly, prompting it to land on Juvia as it fell through her and hit the ground soaked. Everyone turned to her in surprise as Sophia ran to the pancake in shock, more concerned about it than Juvia as the latter was in question over the ordeal anyways.

"What just happened? Did I miss something?" Juvia said calmly. She must've been off in daydream land fantasizing over Gray Fullbuster once again to not notice the pancake.

"Sophia won't quit making pancakes, even after all the times I've told her in the past to stop!" Gajeel stated as he looked at Sophia in annoyance, prompting her to stop.

"Alright, I'll stop, okay? I just got a bit carried away."

"A bit would be an understatement." Pantherlily added, continuing on with his second pancake. Daniel, having finished up with the video game he was playing, got up and went to get pancakes for himself. Kyousuke saw him and realized that the solution was right in front of them the whole time.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that Daniel was here." Kyousuke stated calmly, putting Daniel into disbelief.

"What?! You remember the crazy chick and you can't remember me?" Daniel sulked, getting himself pancakes and going on to eat them in order to relieve him of this shock. Having a couple of pancakes to store in the fridge would be easy to deal with; they just couldn't store five or more of them. It was a filling breakfast to say the least, but afterwards, it was time for the group to prepare. It went from sweet to sour…as usual.

* * *

As with the issue surrounding Mega Dawn, the group met up in the Techno Gadgetry room and sat all around, discussing the Xandolian Empire and how they would get revenge.

"Alright, listen up!" Gajeel started off, getting everyone's attention, "You remember what the empire did to us: they put Kyousuke and I through a good round of torture, not to mention they tried to interrogate and take us out. After they would've got the information, they would've executed us. Right now though," Gajeel said as he pounded his fists together, "we're gonna get revenge."

"Right, so where do we start?" Daniel questioned as Pantherlily was quick to respond. Pulling out some sort of PDA, he activated a screen that displayed a map of the Xandolian Empire itself. While the empire had bases all around the country and used them to their content, their main base was much, much bigger and was the root of it all. Everyone widened their eyes when seeing the map, judging from the extreme size of the base itself.

"That place is huge." Kyousuke said in shock, staring at it in pure bafflement as Pantherlily went on to explain its contents.

"This map shows the layout of the main base in which the Xandolian Empire conducts their experiments. Everything that goes on here is directly linked to all the trouble they've been causing, and this is where the final stages of their plans will take place." Pantherlily explained. While the map was indeed quite handy to have, it wasn't necessarily helpful in this situation, especially considering that they had no idea where the members were going to be.

"I don't think launching a full-scale attack on the base is a good idea," Daniel suggested, "for one, they could be anywhere and during that time we could get our base easily raided by them; secondly, in our current situation, taking on the entire empire would be suicide with just the four of us alone, and lastly, they aren't even finished…"

"They are finished with what?" Sophia questioned impatiently, wanting to know as Daniel suddenly pulled out a laptop of his in the room and started doing research. Everyone gathered around as Daniel searched up information regarding the empire, prompting the group to question it. "What are you doing?" Sophia questioned as Daniel continued his research. He was quite determined to pin-point an analogy he thought of in his mind, especially concerning how many different web-pages he was bringing up.

"Gajeel gave me access to the web-portal so I could do some potential hacking of the empire's databases. Several of them contain information regarding their plans, and since they have so many members across the country, they would have to send out the info out using some sort of advanced technology." Daniel explained. He clicked on a specific "briefcase" as it was called within the database that was labeled "GOAL", the briefcase in question containing various files relating to their progress and overall plans. "As powerful of an empire as they are though, their security system is quite cheap. They relied on typical anti-virus software you could purchase online in order to block out intruders, but even so, they should've known a hacker like me would've been able to break in effortlessly." Daniel said in honor of his own skills, putting a grin on Gajeel's face.

"I could've told you that from the start." Gajeel said whilst chuckling, watching as Daniel pulled up a file named "PLAN FINALIZATION 67B". Kyousuke looked at it in surprise.

"67B?" He questioned, prompting Daniel to explain.

"They constantly update their information with little, explicit details that may need to be added or changed, and they indicate their changes by making an entirely new file with a specific codename rather than just overwriting the information. Basically, they make duplicates in order to keep track of what they're doing." Daniel explained. He opened the file and the computer loaded a web-page displaying the information the empire sent out. The page itself documented everything that was required for the plan and went into detail of the plan itself, describing every step of the plan they had in mind. "Kind of answers how we've been able to keep up against this massive empire, doesn't it?" Daniel stated with a smirk as Kyousuke continued to look at the screen in awe. He was quite impressed.

"No kidding; now I know why we go on missions so often." Kyousuke stated as Daniel double-checked the other files to make sure he didn't miss anything. Pantherlily was insistent on figuring out the details of their plan, ready to analyze the file in question.

"So then, what is their plan?" He asked calmly, prompting Daniel to scroll through the page.

"I don't know yet; I haven't had a chance to analyze the file at hand. It seems that it was updated quite recently." Daniel explained. With that, the group analyzed the file and took in important bits and pieces of information, quickly scanning through it for the page was quite long. Sophia noticed some things that were quite surprising to her, leading her to question something regarding the group.

"They seem to be quick to pick up on our findings; I wonder why that is?" Sophia questioned, surprising the group. The group knew that she was right somehow, and pondered over it as Gajeel took the time to head to a specific location within the room.

"She's right; it's like we're being spied. They don't know where the items we've found are but they know what we've been doing." Kyousuke explained bringing a long-lasting predicament to realization as the group looked on in puzzlement. "The question is: how?"

"Come on, you don't know how?" Gajeel questioned, entering a key-code and opening a door within the room as a bunch of steam rolled out of it, prompting the group to follow in as everyone watched in wonder.

"Don't tell me you know." Sophia inquired, following in as everyone else did the same. As they did, they entered a white room containing a yellow acid capsule. When seeing that, they realized how they thought the empire was doing it, except Pantherlily.

"I still don't get it; what are you saying Gajeel?" Pantherlily questioned as Sophia and Daniel stared in shock. They thought it was because of what was inside that capsule.

"That's the capsule containing Project THEO!" Daniel pointed out in shock. He didn't realize it so easily at first. "You don't mean…"

"No, that's not what I mean." Gajeel corrected, further confusing the group. "But...he is the reason how."

"What do you mean?" Kyousuke wondered as Gajeel went on. He knew the empire's dirty tricks, and he realized that he should've known something like this would've happened.

"That little invasion that they pulled off acted as a ruse for their little so called plan where they placed microscopic cameras all over the building. We've been monitored this whole time, and all this time we didn't even realize it." Gajeel indicated with slight disappointment, upsetting the others. Ironically, Kyousuke started blushing again as he realized a shocking reality, turning away as he didn't want to deal with it.

"Oh man...you can't be serious." Kyousuke flustered. The entire group was put into embarrassment as everyone remembered some of the ridiculous things they have done with the cameras there. All the things the empire could've seen, especially in situations where the group let loose. Even Daniel was put into shock.

"Oh man is right; what in the world could they have possibly seen?" Daniel shamed, sulking as Sophia became quite ill-tempered over it.

"If I find ONE microscopic camera in my shower, I will find those freaks and rip their hair out!" Sophia snapped, cringing over it as Daniel looked at her perplexed.

"And what if they're bald?"

"Then I'll just crystalize their asses and give them some real hell to pay!" Sophia yelled angrily, pacing about in frustration as Pantherlily questioned Gajeel.

"How come you didn't know this beforehand?"

"Shut up! I just assumed that they didn't do something like that!" Gajeel spat, having felt annoyed by such. "However, now that I know, it makes everything clear." Gajeel said with a grin, walking up to the capsule as Pantherlily watched. Daniel, picking up on such, immediately closed down the door leading into the room as Gajeel pulled the capsule up.

"Daniel!" Gajeel called, prompting Daniel to release Theotrin.

"Yeah, I'm on it." He said calmly. Using his acid magic, he melted the capsule off of the contents contained inside, which happened to be Theotrin himself. With the acid dissipating in the air and after a minute or two, Theotrin opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by the team, feeling immediate disgust as everyone just kept staring at him. Even after all this time he still was quite arrogant.

"You all are annoying enough as it is; you could at least stop staring at me." He berated the group, only prompting an angry reaction from Sophia.

"Like hell we will! You can't just come in and boss us…" Sophia started rambling before Daniel stopped her and calmed her down. Seeing that, being impatient enough as it was, Theotrin immediately took the opportunity to escape, taking off as Gajeel and Pantherlily watched unconcerned. "He's getting away!" Sophia shouted, running after him as Gajeel and Pantherlily just sat back, watching as Theotrin attempted to use an energy blast on the closed door, only to find it mirrored back at him as it sent him flying back to the wall he just ran from. Rubbing his head in discomfort, Gajeel got up close to him with a grin on his face, taunting him for the heck of it.

"You're in this room for a reason sparkles; did you ever think of why that is?" Gajeel pestered, severely annoying Theotrin as the group laughed over it.

"Sparkles...that's a good one." Kyousuke stated whilst chuckling, finding it hilarious as everyone else did too. Theotrin wasn't pleased however.

"Funny coming from a metal-head; you're just a stain of rust to me." Theotrin retorted, only for Gajeel to come back even harder.

"A stain of rust is like a badge of honor to me, got that sparkles? Now you're gonna tell us everything we need to know, even if that means I have to beat it out of you." Gajeel threatened. He popped his knuckles and looked at Theotrin with a sadistic grin, scaring Theotrin into submission. Part of that was mainly due to his inescapable situation, but dealing with being called "sparkles" and a metal-head that was willing to rough him up was something he wanted to avoid.

"Fine then, I'll give you information. Just refrain from referring to me by 'sparkles.'" Theotrin requested, prompting the group to surround him as he was about to start.

"We want to know everything regarding the empire and their plans, along with their next location." Pantherlily stated calmly, having found out some information regarding Project THEO thanks to his imprisonment within the empire. Theotrin was still a bit reluctant, but was able to start giving out information, truthful or not.

"Being created as Project THEO, I was made to be a stand-alone module assigned specific tasks from the empire in order to dig out information and eliminate threats. Being built, I was also planned to be used as a sort of communicator for the empire for everything I saw and heard was directly sent back to them for research." Theotrin explained, putting the group into surprise. "I was also used in order to…"

"Right now, the purpose behind your creation is not important to us. What we want to know is what the empire has been doing and where they're going to head next." Pantherlily stated, having caught onto Theotrin's attempts to sway the conversation, annoying him in the process.

"Damn you…" He said under his breath, trying to think of another way out of his predicament as Gajeel messed with him once again.

"Trying to sway your way out of this, aren't you?" Gajeel pestered as Theotrin sudden fired off an energy blast at him. The whole group jumped back as the room was engulfed in smoke, leaving only sounds of smacks and blasts to be heard as a result.

"Damn, this guy's stubborn." Kyousuke said in frustration, covering himself from the smoke as he heard the fight go on. Eventually, the smoke cleared and it was evident that Theotrin's attempt to escape was a failure, for Gajeel beat him up and punched him into the ground, slamming him down as Theotrin angrily looked back at the iron dragon slayer towering over him.

"You wanna fight huh?" Gajeel taunted, proceeding to grab him and throw him against the wall as Theotrin bounced back from it as a result of the force, following by Gajeel grabbing him and holding him up against the wall with a single hand. "You're not gonna win this fight, and I'll make sure of that. You'll have to go through me and everyone else here, and I know that you can't do that, so you better start talking!" Gajeel threatened as he threw him back down on the ground. Theotrin slowly got himself up, still trying to figure a way out of the situation, even if it wasn't easy for him to figure out how when he was forced to see a dragon slayer that appeared to be more of a monster than a human. "Or things are gonna get really ugly." Gajeel warned. Theotrin was still hesitant, being paralyzed by both fear and horror; the thought of standing in front of this "iron monster" as everyone else watched him was injecting a paralyzing venom into him with every passing second.

" _Damn, he's too strong. It's no surprise the empire would've gone to these extremes in order to eliminate him."_ Theotrin thought to himself in shock, clearly swayed by Gajeel's strength. From the looks of it, it seemed that Gajeel would have fun either way; watching as Gajeel was ready to throw-down on the spot. Even the others joined in on it.

"You should know how angry I am with you already, so I suggest doing what Gajeel just told you." Sophia suggested, already pumped enough on taking him out.

"They've got a point, and you really don't want to mess with us." Daniel joined in. Even Kyousuke, who happened to be just as calm as Pantherlily over the ordeal, walked up to Theotrin and put a hand on his shoulder, sucking the paralyzing venom out of him as he jumped in horror, turning to see Kyousuke looking at him with a calm, yet penetrating expression.

"I've witnessed how Gajeel is first-hand, and I can tell you that he will not quit until he gets what he wants. You're finished, and you have no choice but to accept it, so just start talking and you'll get something better than what's about to come if you resist." Kyousuke persuaded, earning no immediate response from Theotrin. Eventually, he finally gave in decided to give the team all the details, more or so because of a logically based decision rather than an emotional one.

"Since it seems that I really am in an inescapable situation, I should give you the details here and now." He realized, standing still as Gajeel's serious expression returned and he relaxed his hands by his sides. Sophia only rolled her eyes in response.

"You should've seen that from the start you idiot." Sophia scoffed in annoyance as Theotrin looked at her in frustration. Initially deciding to retort, he soon after let it go and calmed down, staying calm as he went into the details.

"You want to know their next location then?" He questioned, grabbing everyone's attention as they listened with the most precise hearing they could possibly muster. "Their next location is the Crystal Falls." He stated calmly. Everyone, Sophia first and foremost, was sent into surprise.

"Crystal Falls?!" Daniel said in shock. He couldn't believe what he was saying. For Sophia though, being surprised was merely an understatement. Hearing that exact name was enough to send her mind on a trip to horror, and she was just starting to go on the verge of a mental-breakdown.

" _Crystal Falls? Crystal Falls! CRYSTAL FALLS!"_ She thought to herself in a panic as her eyes widened in terror. In that very moment, she burst out in a panic, putting everyone else into a state of complete bafflement. "YOU'RE LYING! THEY CAN'T BE GOING TO CRYSTAL FALLS; THEY HAVE TO BE GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE!"

"Crystal Falls is their next location, whether you like it or not." Theotrin confirmed, unknowingly contributing to her horrified state. Daniel was alarmed to say the least.

"Sophia!? What the hell's going on with you?!" Daniel shouted as Sophia started panicking. Even Pantherlily and Kyousuke couldn't understand it, both watching in consternation as the female Stealth Overdrive member started sprinting out of pure agony. Seeing the room they were stuck in made her extremely claustrophobic and made her panic even more, prompting her to fight her way out of the room.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE! LET ME OUT!" Sophia screamed slamming her fists on the closed door as everyone except Gajeel ran up to try to stop her. Gajeel could only watch in pure shock, having his own eyes widened as well at her horrified reaction. The difference was though; he knew why she was in a state of panic, but he didn't realize that she would've done something like that so suddenly. At that point in time, the door opened and Sophia sprinted her way out of the room, flying out of the techno gadgetry room and storming her way out of the base as everyone stood back in the room, standing in complete bewilderment and shock.

"What in the world caused this?" Pantherlily said in shock, being too affected by it to properly think about the task at hand anymore. He couldn't understand why she acted in such a way, because if he did, then he would've been much calmer, but his ignorance of such is the reason for his shock. Gajeel, knowing the reason behind such, took command and decided to set things in place.

"Alright, we know their next location. Just a little more research and we're finished, got that?!" Gajeel questioned as the group acknowledged such. "Good! Keep this sparkly freak locked up in here and study that file you loaded; I'm gonna go after Sophia." Gajeel started, taking off after her as Kyousuke followed out of his own will. With that, Daniel and Pantherlily exited the room and made sure it was locked down so Theotrin couldn't escape. The last thing they wanted was for Theotrin to break free and go loose within their base, especially if they were on a mission. He, however, wasn't the most pressing person on their minds at the moment.

"Do you have any idea what happened back there?" Pantherlily questioned Daniel, who was in the same shocked state as Pantherlily himself was.

"No, I don't." He stated calmly, prompting Pantherlily to look ahead and contemplate over the situation in shock. Daniel, however, thought into it a bit more, especially concerning some of the things Sophia would sometimes tell him. " _If I had to guess though, it would be something related to her magic."_ Daniel remembered, remembering how Sophia went into detail over why she wanted to keep her magic concealed from Kyousuke. It was especially important to her, and the lengths she would go in order to conceal it from Kyousuke was incredible.

As for Kyousuke, he was just as shocked as everyone else, especially since he had NEVER once seen Sophia go into a panic as she had just did. Gajeel was much calmer about it, and judging from that, Kyousuke assumed that he may know more to the story than what meets the eye. As the two were running through the base to get outside, where Sophia would be, Kyousuke was quick to question Gajeel on such.

"I've never seen her go off like this; what the hell happened?!" Kyousuke questioned in shock. Gajeel, however, couldn't tell him the story.

"The whole thing's a long story; don't have the time to explain it." Gajeel stated, disappointing Kyousuke slightly. "However, it's the reason she's acting this way."

"Can you at least summarize it?" Kyousuke questioned, following Gajeel. However, that question was brushed off when the two ran into an alleyway outside of the base where she would go to in times like this, seeing the brunette bundled up in a ball in the alleyway. She was trembling out of fear and panic, and she couldn't stop thinking about the Crystal Falls, that terrifying place that she knew of. Kyousuke, concerned about her wellbeing, got a bit closer and called out her attention. "Sophia! Please tell me…"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME! Don't come any closer, please!" Sophia panicked, still in shock as Kyousuke could only stare at her in horror. The way she acted was unbelievable, and how horrified she was over it was so shocking to Kyousuke that even he couldn't understand it. "Don't come closer; I...can't have you knowing about this right now." Sophia trembled, prompting Kyousuke to stand up and just stare. Gajeel realized that his intervention would not solve the problem, and so he took advantage of the situation, heading to Sophia and knowing that she would be more comfortable around him than Kyousuke.

"Sophia! You have to calm down!" Gajeel suggested, walking over to her as she backed further away out of fear of what was brought up.

"I CAN'T! The empire's next location is Crystal FALLS! You KNOW what happened back there Gajeel; you know of the things that happened!" Sophia shouted, still trembling over it as Gajeel got up close and kneeled down next to her. He kept that calm, controlled look on his face as he stared at a trembling Sophia, seeing the amount of frustration she was going through.

"That is their next location, and we have to go back there in order to stop them." Gajeel calmly explained, prompting Sophia to beg otherwise.

"NO no please! You can't make me! I don't want to go back to that horrifying place." She begged as tears poured down her face. The horrifying past took place in her head once again as she was shaking more noticeably again, that is, until Gajeel placed a hand on her head and calmed her down. Tears still rolling down her face, she looked up at Gajeel with a hopeless demeanor, looking at him as if she was begging for help. He had a grin on his face that soothed the tenderness that she had, and it healed her.

"I protected you there once, and I can do it again. If you think that what happened to you back there is gonna happen to all of us, you've got another thing coming." Gajeel assured, prompting Sophia to hug him tightly as he hugged her back. Knowing that he was there made her feel protected, as if she was shielded from all the evils of the world. She instilled so much trust into him.

"Thank you." She said having calmed down over the whole ordeal as Gajeel only smiled in response. Kyousuke stood there and watched calmly; still unable to understand, but glad that Sophia was able to come back to her senses. It made him think for a bit about his part of the group.

" _Perhaps we are a group because the pain we've suffered brings us together. Through it we become stronger, strong enough to stand as a whole knew being."_ Kyousuke thought to himself, slightly clenching his fist. He was determined, and he was determined to go out and stop the empire. This was their first step in putting an end to their reign.


	15. Chapter 15: Seeking Vengeance

Chapter 15: Seeking Vengeance

When the group had figured out that the empire's next location was the Crystal Falls, they had set themselves on a journey to the place that once put Sophia in a prison of horror, now aiming for a different goal. Seeing her panic in such a way was shocking enough, but thanks to being convinced, she decided that she should go for the sake of the group and for stopping the empire, even if doing so would make her shell crack into pieces. Daniel, having been too shocked by Sophia's reaction to even do the research that Gajeel requested, decided to take the laptop he was using for such with him onto the NovaGlider so he could do it on their way to the Crystal Falls. As for the team itself, they were all ready to head after the empire on that very same day, preparing to take off for everyone was gathering utilities and stocking up in the NovaGlider. Juvia happened to waltz her way into the hangar as she walked around in wonder, observing the giant room once again as she came across Daniel packing stuff inside of the NovaGlider, whom she approached kindly.

"What's going on?" She questioned kindly, seeing Daniel placing stuff he was carrying into the NovaGlider as he got out and noticed her standing there.

"Hey...it's Juvia right?" Daniel questioned as Juvia nodded in response. "Well...the group was just captured by the empire and was interrogated. The way they went about it wasn't the 'most pleasant'. You remember us out in the sand dunes right?" He questioned as she nodded in response. "Because of that, Gajeel wants to get revenge and so that's what we're doing now."

"Can I come with you?!" Juvia requested with urgency. There was something, or should it be clarified as "someone" who she "needed" to get back to, and she was willing to do whatever she could in order to achieve such. Daniel however wasn't sure.

"Why do you want to come with us? We were just going to have you stay here since technically you're not a member of the group."

"But I need to get back to my beloved and make sure he's alright!" Juvia begged desperately. She must've found out about the location of the other wizards by asking everyone else, most likely those who didn't know of her extreme devotion. One of those wizards included Daniel, who couldn't give her a straight answer.

"That's not my call actually, so sorry, but I can't help you. However, I doubt that Gajeel wants to head back there right now anyways."

"Why not?!"

"After everything that we just went through, heading back there would be like asking to get caught; they would be expecting us. If we do head back there at some point, it will probably be a while from now when they least expect it. Besides, Gajeel wouldn't be interested in heading back there for something so minor." Daniel explained calmly. However, that was not the answer she wanted to hear, making her quite upset about it.

"NOOO! My beloved Gray is all alone without me to be there for him! This is an emergency!" Juvia bawled, making Daniel feel quite awkward as he was unsure of how to deal with her. Laid-back and emotional don't go hand in hand very well.

"I...I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it." Daniel said calmly unsure of how else to deal with her drama. Daniel got prepared once again and was about to head off to get more stuff for the ship, informing Juvia of what was to take place regarding their departure. "We as a group were thinking that you could stay behind and look after the place, just to make sure that nothing strange goes on." Daniel informed Juvia, walking away from the glider as Juvia followed Daniel in the hopes of persuading him otherwise.

"But I was thinking of coming with you guys!" Juvia stated, surprising Daniel.

"You can't be serious; do you know of the kinds of missions we go on?"

"That doesn't matter to me; if I can help out, then I want to!" Juvia convinced, trying to get him to sway his opinion. Daniel just sighed calmly as he was heading to another location within the hangar, proceeding to explain further on the matter.

"The thing is, I'm not the one who is in control of what happens during this mission, so I can't tell you if you can come or not."

"If she wants to come then she can, just don't start whining when we're aboard the ship." Gajeel permitted, surprising the two as they stopped for a moment. It was clear that he got back from doing repairs to some of the ships or working on some sort of machinery as his hands were covered in black grease. He was quite the mechanic, which isn't surprising considering that he's an Iron Dragon Slayer. Daniel was quite surprised over his decision.

"Gajeel, what makes you so open to it?"

"All the crap with the empire and this building's being taken care of. I've got Kyousuke and Sophia dealing with all the cameras they placed here, not to mention Lily and I are working on a force-field that's gonna surround this whole place. There's not gonna be a need to keep her here, so as long as she doesn't start complaining, I don't have a problem with it." Gajeel explained with a grin, relieving Daniel of his own troubles as Juvia looked at Gajeel perplexed.

Kyousuke and Sophia were off in another area of the building taking care of the last of the cameras, thanks to Kyousuke's electricity. He was able to target it directly to the cameras with a simple pulse-wave that rendered them useless whilst knocking them off the walls, prompting Sophia to vacuum them all up. After finishing up on the last wall they came across, Kyousuke wiped his head in relief as Sophia shut off the vacuum.

"Well then, that's finished. Good thing I won't have to worry about my private life being captured on video." Kyousuke explained as Sophia walked back with him, looking at him with a devious look on her face that can all too well be known.

"Private life; I know what you two do back there." Sophia sarcastically stated, prompting Kyousuke to retort. She did this all the time.

"You act as if that's all we do. Yeah, I do like him…"

"Aka love him, smooch smooch."

"Hehe, okay…" Kyousuke chuckled, "if that's how you feel about Daniel."

"Shut up! I'm not in love with him!" Sophia denied with frustration, prompting Kyousuke to further tease her.

"What? Can't handle the pressure?"

"There's no pressure! He's too lazy to even get up in the morning!"

"Yet, I bet you would love to play some tonsil tennis with him."

"You wouldn't dare!" Sophia challenged, looking at Kyousuke deviously as he mirrored her expression, confident in everything he said. He knew how to get Sophia in a knot, and it was easy to keep it up for she would be easily irritated by it and would stop prying into his own relationship with Gajeel. She was already sweating from the frustration of imagining herself with Daniel, which didn't seem that pleasant to her.

"I would, and you know it." Kyousuke challenged cunningly, putting an end to their conversation as they walked out of the place, heading for the hangar down below. They didn't say anything to each other as they headed there, immediately following down into the hangar as they came across Gajeel, who was walking back up to the main area as. Kyousuke just stopped in front of him, thinking about him and what was brought up earlier as he explained the details. "We finished up with the cameras, so everything's good to go for now." Kyousuke informed, standing still as Sophia stopped as well and Gajeel kept a calm look.

"Good, at least something's getting done around here." Gajeel stated calmly, standing there and looking about as Kyousuke just stared at him. Eventually Gajeel saw Kyousuke just staring at him, putting a thought of puzzlement inside of him. "What's up with you?" Gajeel questioned as Kyousuke looked away in response, prompting Sophia to take control of the situation.

"He just got caught up in his thoughts about someone in particular." Sophia hinted at, winking and walking to the hangar to finish up with her stuff as Kyousuke looked at her in frustration.

" _You have to be KIDDING ME! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!"_ Kyousuke thought in extreme frustration as Sophia nailed him to the ground with those statements; she got him real good this time. She was just too persistent for her own good. On his face though was a calm look that stared at Gajeel's perplexed expression, unable to understand how that was brought about once again. Kyousuke decided to derail her plans and say other things.

"I'm just ready to get some major payback, that's all." Kyousuke clarified, prompting Gajeel to agree.

"You got that right." He stated calmly, walking off as he headed back up to the main area. Kyousuke just stood there and watched Gajeel head up, being surprised when he turned back to him in request. "Hey! Follow me up." Gajeel asked, surprising Kyousuke. "I've got something to show you." He told him, continuing up as Kyousuke, surprised, followed him up to where he was headed.

Gajeel had kept this tidbit secret from Kyousuke for a while now. Regarding the now with Kyousuke, now having proven his faithfulness and loyalty to the group, Gajeel felt that it was time to reveal it. Heading back up the elevator back into the main area, Gajeel led Kyousuke to the room where they kept all of their hidden stones, the area where they had their first fight. Kyousuke, coming back into the room, was pummeled with those ugly memories as he could only sit there in frustration, not wanting to think about it as Gajeel led him to an area within the room that they haven't accessed previously. Gajeel, knowing about how the stones were stolen from them, revealed something that surprised Kyousuke.

"They may have gotten the stones, but they haven't gotten what's inside of here. You'll see why." Gajeel explained, having come upon a metal door that was heavily barricaded. It was clear that the empire would've had some serious trouble trying to break into the room behind the door, but apparently it seems that even if they did, they still wouldn't have gotten what they wanted. There was a keypad and a retina scanner next to the door that was still in good condition, just as Gajeel entered the code and had his eyes scanned, allowing him access inside as Kyousuke followed from behind. Walking inside, Kyousuke soon found his eyes locked onto what could be called a "giant portal" placed directly on the floor. One could easily jump down into it and be taken to another world as it seemed, but that wasn't going to be happening, and there's a good reason for it.

"It's a portal." Kyousuke stated calmly, observing it in awe as Gajeel stopped in front of it as did Kyousuke. He continued to stare at it as Gajeel went into the details.

"This isn't your average portal; this is the Agon-Count." Gajeel informed, surprising Kyousuke. "Go in this thing, and you'll find yourself in a world of agony. Everything you hate, despise, disgust...all of it will be brought to a reality and you'll have no choice but to suffer through it." Gajeel explained, putting Kyousuke into shock. He was shocked that it would be so horrible.

"If it's that bad, then why is it in here?"

"The portal itself can be moved, but it can't be destroyed. We have to keep it out of the empire's hands if we want to end them." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke looked at it in shock; staring into the endless black swirls of the portal itself as even the energy it emitted was enough to put him in a state of uneasiness.

"So then, why did you show me this?" Kyousuke questioned in wonder, turning to Gajeel as the latter simply stared at him with a dead-serious look in his eyes. Just from seeing that, Kyousuke knew why right off the bat.

"No...no, you can't be serious!"

"Yeah, I'm serious. We have to go in there; there's an item that we need to get in order to stop the empire." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke was against it initially, having a good reason for being against it.

"If they need that core component as well, then why not just leave it in there?!"

"The empire's gonna get it one way or another and besides, that thing will destroy everything if it's not retrieved soon." Gajeel explained, ultimately ending Kyousuke's refusal to comply as the latter stared at him in shock once again.

"It'll destroy everything?" He said in bafflement. How could not be understood, but it didn't need to be as Gajeel was insistent on making sure it never got to that point.

"Yeah, it'll destroy everything." Gajeel stated calmly. Kyousuke was in shock over the whole ordeal, and knew how horrible the trip would be if they did enter, but in this current predicament, they had no choice in the matter. It was one way or the other, and the least they could do is go one way to prevent the other. Kyousuke then looked at Gajeel, who kept a calm look on his face as he went on. "Listen, I don't want to go down that hell-hole either, but we have no choice. If we don't, it's over for all of us." Gajeel explained as Kyousuke nodded in response. At least it wasn't now that they were going to be heading in, but even so, it affected Kyousuke quite a bit. He didn't want to go down there; he has already suffered his own personal hell. The last thing he needs is for it to become a reality. He looked at Gajeel in shock over the whole thing, wondering of many things.

"How do you know all of this?" Kyousuke questioned, wondering how he knew of everything that was going on as Gajeel stared about.

"I'm good at finding information, that's all there is to it." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke knew that was true, still somewhat annoyed by not being given a concrete answer, but let it pass for the time being. Gajeel, ready to head out, walked up to Kyousuke and put a hand on his shoulder, putting a grin on his face that managed to liven the mood up a bit and put Kyousuke back on track. "Come on, we've got to head to head off. I'd like to get to knock some teeth in soon." Gajeel reminded Kyousuke, who nodded in response and gave a calm smile. With that, the two left the area, sealing it back up so that no one could break in. They would be back though, and when they would be, they would be ready.

* * *

As for now though, the next location on their minds was the Crystal Falls, and that was for their revenge. It was time to make that empire pay for once. Enough time had passed to allow the group to manage to get onto the NovaGlider and set off on their mission, along with Juvia to accompany them for once. Her not being a Stealth Overdrive member was going to be strange for her, especially considering that she had to take orders from Gajeel. Sophia, having already dealt with the shock of hearing that they were headed for the Crystal Falls, was in anything but a good mood. She just stood there, lying against the wall in a shock as time passed on their way to the Crystal Falls, completely tuning out everything that was going on around her. That included Juvia's worry over Gray's well-being, Daniel's interest in studying up on the qualities of different types of stones that could be found there (something he took interest in), along with his research regarding the empire, and the other three engaging in conversation. At one point, the group could tell what was wrong as she just sat there all quiet, not normally being like this on a daily basis. She couldn't help but continue to think about the Crystal Falls, the thought of their arrival only becoming pressingly haunting.

" _I don't want to go to this place. I hate everything about it; I don't want to head there, but I have to. I have to head there for the group, so as much as I hate it, I will do it for everyone else. But still…."_ Sophia thought to herself worriedly. She couldn't stop thinking about it as it pressed through her mind, making the situation much worse for her than it already was. Well, she could've decided to stay at the base, but considering that the empire of all villainous powers was heading to such an important place, the group had to go there to find out why and to stop them before they could get what they wanted, and that included Sophia herself. Even Daniel, who often had the most feuds with Sophia whilst being a part of the group, knew that something wasn't right with her, especially considering her reaction to just hearing the name of that place. Knowing that, he decided to try lightening up her mood.

"Hey Sophia, want to play a game of hockey? You might actually beat me this time." Daniel persuaded, attempting to get her to play a game with him to take her mind off of things. However, that obviously didn't work, for she had no response and continued to lie against the wall in the same depressed state. Everyone else saw this, feeling some sort of concern arise within them as they looked at her calmly, watching her stare off into space as her depressing thoughts took over. Each of them remembered the shocking outburst that she had earlier, knowing for sure that it was this that was affecting her. Gajeel, however, already knew of the horror that took place regarding the Crystal Falls, and it was as vivid as daylight in his mind. Sophia was experiencing very much the same.

" _Carry on with the divine power...the exposure process has become too turbulent...AFTER HER...who are you?...AAAAAGGGH!"_

"Hey Sophia…"

"AAGH...what the hell!" Sophia shouted in shock, staring at Daniel in complete alarm as she breathed heavily from her thoughts. It seemed that Daniel disturbed her, by which she got too caught up in her thoughts, by placing a palm on her shoulder and freaking her out. Gajeel and Pantherlily could tell that things weren't on the bright side for them as she continued to get caught up in the horror of that place. Gajeel then approached Sophia regarding the situation, somehow having been timed so accurately as to being the time when she couldn't take much more.

"I can't do this!" Sophia broke, being unable to deal with the pressure as Gajeel approached her.

"I'm not turning the ship back."

"You have too! I can't stay on this ship for much longer; I can't go back to that place!" Sophia begged, desperately wanting to leave. Pantherlily kept his cool this time around, keeping a concerned yet calm look on his face as Juvia just stood there in shock, completely unaware of anything that was happening.

"What's going on?"

"You don't need to know!" Sophia shouted, putting Juvia into a state of silence as she went further on to Gajeel of her desperation to get out. "Please! You have to let me go back Gajeel! I can't go there!"

"I'm not turning the ship back! You need to calm down!" Gajeel shouted, grabbing her shoulders and keeping her still as she stared at him in complete shock. This move may have caused more trouble for some, but for Sophia it was quick enough to put her into a state of control, allowing her to return to her senses as Gajeel stared at her with a piercing expression that was powerful enough to control her. "We have to go there whether you like it or not. If the empire gets there first, it may be even more problematic than getting there ourselves." Gajeel explained, bringing light to a shocking situation as Sophia calmed herself down. Gajeel let go and let his arms rest by his sides, watching her as she got caught up in the turmoil once again, staring off into space with a depressed look. No matter what happened, it hurt her a great deal.

"You may be right, but still, I can't bear the thought of going to that horrid place." Sophia stated calmly, continuing to think about it as Gajeel stared at her. He wasn't sure what to do to make her snap out of it, and it was doubtful for anyone to make her snap out of it. Nevertheless, Kyousuke calmly walked up and intervened himself.

"Listen." Kyousuke said, catching her attention as she mustered the ability to turn and look at him enough to be receptive to what he said. "I don't know about what happened that made you feel this upset over it, but we can't think about that now." Kyousuke calmly suggested. Sophia, however, wasn't so easy to convince.

"If it was that easy to get over this pain, I would've done that by now." Sophia said calmly, still upset as Kyousuke argued against it nonetheless.

"Look, I may not know what you went through, but I do know what it feels like."

"Yeah, whatever! You don't even know what happened!" Sophia angrily retorted, surprising the others as Kyousuke retorted himself.

"You don't know ME either!" Kyousuke retorted, shocking Sophia as she stood there and stared at him in shock. He was right; she didn't know much about "who" he was. "You don't even know of what I've been through, or the pain I've suffered. The only one who knows part of what I've been through is Gajeel, and I don't even know what he's gone through!" Kyousuke explained shocking Gajeel as the latter stared at Kyousuke surprised. It was indeed the truth, and Gajeel was willing to keep it that way unless necessary. Kyousuke, on the other-hand, didn't let that bother him right now. "But that's not what matters. Despite everything that's happened, I am still here." Kyousuke explained. Sophia didn't want to hear about his sentiments, but nevertheless was forced to hear them as Kyousuke made it loud and clear. "If it wasn't for this group, I would've stopped a long time ago." Kyousuke explained, inflicting warmth into the group as they stared at him in surprise. "I feel complete when I'm here, and that's why I keep going. I want to be able to preserve everything here in this group; don't you want to do the same?" Kyousuke questioned, surprising Sophia as she looked at him speechless. Thoughts ran through her head regarding what happened between them; the relationship with Gajeel, the missions they went on, the fun they had with one another; it was the perfect family. She didn't want something like that to go, and heading to the Crystal Falls was going to make sure that it didn't go. If it meant preserving the greatness that the group has created as a whole, she would do it regardless of how it made her feel. Sophia, having been calmed down, put a weak smile on her face in response to his question, prompting a grin from Gajeel and a calm smile from Kyousuke himself.

"You're right. In that case, I will head there, whether or not I want to." Sophia announced, being brightened up as Gajeel put an arm around Kyousuke as a way to congratulate him on helping Sophia out.

"Thanks buddy, now you can be our counselor." Gajeel teased, annoying Kyousuke somewhat.

"Please don't make me do that." Kyousuke requested as Gajeel continued to buddy with him. Sophia felt refreshed and was able to tackle any adverse circumstances that may be thrown at her. Surprisingly enough, one of those adverse circumstances managed to spring forth right then and there.

"WARNING, WARNING: ENEMY SHIP DETECTED! PLEASE PROCEED TO COLLECT DATA ON SHIP AND PROCEED WITH A COURSE OF ACTION." A computer announced and repeated as Gajeel ran to the front of the NovaGlider, prompting everyone else to follow him.

"We've got something." Gajeel stated, using the computer to bring up details and focus their sight the on the ship. Kyousuke stood back in surprise.

"We've already detected an enemy ship?" Kyousuke questioned in surprise. "That was quick, perhaps too quick."

"Yeah, but it just gives us a reason to not waste time standing around." Gajeel stated as he focused their sight on the ship. Seeing the ship, they eventually realized it was another one of their massive ships, carrying characteristics of the ship they just escaped from.

"How many giant ships do they have?" Juvia wondered in disbelief, remembering how the group came from a giant ship after escaping from the empire in the first place. Daniel, however, was quick to dismiss such.

"That's not another ship, that's the same ship." Daniel pointed out, picking up on the shattered windows that they came out of. It was clear that those windows were indeed shattered by them escaping, and there was no other evidence to prove otherwise besides the ship's structure. Gajeel, knowing that, was ready to deport the ship and start the attack.

"We're deporting; get ready because this isn't gonna take long." Gajeel ordered as everyone followed his orders. Eventually, everyone was ready to jump, and knowing that, Gajeel deported first followed by Kyousuke, Sophia, Daniel, Pantherlily, and then Juvia in that order. As they landed on top of the giant, black flying ship, the NovaGlider took off and clouded itself up in the air to which it couldn't be detected, allowing for the group to call for air-support when they needed it. The ship was flying through a large forest, not super dense but clouded with thunder clouds and trees standing about as if they were flying through the mountains. Giant pine trees clouded the area as they were all that could be seen, but spread about to give an open feeling and to allow for the dark clouds to invoke more depth into the atmosphere. The location of the trees made it clear that the ship was on a trail to the Crystal Falls, and they were getting closer to that destination with every passing second. Standing aboard a flying ship pushed them against the wind-draft and made their hair fly about. Gajeel, seeing everyone on the ship, was ready to call on a course of action. "Alright, listen up! We're here to get revenge, so stop the ship and make sure that they don't get to the Crystal Falls, you got that?!" Gajeel explained as everyone acknowledged such. "Alright! Lily can come with me and head to the front of the ship from the inside. Sophia and Daniel can cover ground on top of the ship and Juvia, you can follow Kyousuke into the inside back end of the ship."

"Right!" Everyone stated, understanding his orders as they prepared to head off.

"Alright, let's do this!" Pantherlily shouted, everyone putting their hands in the center as they lifted up and chanted, taking off. With that, the group was now ready to get payback. Sophia and Daniel patrolled the top as they witnessed Gajeel and Kyousuke enter their respective areas with their partners.

"We better start patrolling; they don't need to be waiting on the two of us." Daniel explained as Sophia nodded.

"Right, then let's go." Sophia shouted, taking off as Daniel followed. It wasn't long before the two came across a frustrating sight, one that they have encountered before.

"Yuck, to think I'd come across you of all people." Sophia commented as she noticed Midnight standing before the two. He had a smirk on his face as usual.

"Oh look, it's the girl who uses crystals. I'm not impressed." He stated calmly as Sophia angrily looked at him in response.

"I don't care about what you think!" She yelled as he smirked in response. "Besides, you look like an ugly freak. At least crystals are beautiful."

"Beauty is weak and being vain leads to nothing. I have true power, and I will make you suffer through it." Midnight stated calmly as the two put their guard up. It was the start of one large spiral of a journey that held more importance than meets the eye.


	16. Chapter 16: Opposite Upgrade

Chapter 16: Opposite Upgrade

⅓ of the team scoped the back end of the ship as they go on their own route to revenge. Although, only one member of the two was actually intent on getting revenge it seemed. Walking through a dark alleyway within the giant ship, both Kyousuke and Juvia took cover behind two giant metal pillars that hid them from soldiers patrolling the area. The soldiers patrolling the area met up with another group of soldiers that were also patrolling the area, exchanging information with each other and acting as a delay for their revenge.

"Great, it looks like we'll be waiting a while." Kyousuke groaned, watching with irritation as he tried to pick up on what the soldiers were talking about, which didn't seem to hold much importance. It was just information about the ship's condition and intruders being detected, which didn't include themselves just yet. Juvia also managed to overhear the soldiers herself.

"It seems that we're already being sought." She stated, to which Kyousuke countered.

"They said only four intruders, which must mean that they already found out about Gajeel and the others, but haven't found us just yet." Kyousuke explained calmly. That was a good thing for them since they could cause some real damage easily in comparison to the others, not that it was that much of a deal.

"Speaking of Gajeel, how does he manage to find out about all this?" Juvia questioned, knowing how he was in the guild they went to. Kyousuke sighed before giving a response.

"I asked him something similar and he didn't give me a straight answer, so he must be hiding something for some reason. Nevertheless, it's a good thing that I can count on him, as well as Pantherlily to keep up to date on all of the specifics." Kyousuke explained calmly. Juvia wasn't too surprised to hear that, especially considering how much of a mystery he could be. The soldiers continued to exchange information and move about, serving an even longer delay for the two as Juvia decided to start a conversation regarding the group.

"So then, how long have you been a part of the group?" She wondered.

"I haven't been here for that long, even though it sometimes feels like I have."

"What about Gajeel?"

"He's the leader of the group. I don't know exactly how long, but he's been here for much longer than I have."

"Is that so?" Juvia questioned. She wondered why he seemed a bit different than before. The role he played in the group was much more personal than she expected, which surprised her somewhat. As she was about to ask another question, Kyousuke beat her to it with a question of his own.

"What's with this infatuation with this guy named Gray?"

"It's NOT an infatuation! It's pure LOVE!" Juvia dramatized, going off and about how much she loves her darling as Kyousuke could only sit there in embarrassment and disgust. "Oh my darling, having a family and living together on our own in our own beautiful cottage, what a dream come true! Do you understand me Kyousuke?" Juvia questioned. Kyousuke could only look at her perplexed and somewhat weirded-out.

"Understand you? You sound crazy."

"Sometimes you are a mirror expression of Gajeel himself." Juvia sulked. Of course he wouldn't understand; he's Gajeel's partner. Anyone with that kind of mind couldn't possibly understand the drama Juvia would face, nor would they want to. She, however, was quite persistent this time and demanded an immediate response. "If you seem to think I'm so crazy, then why don't you give me an explanation that makes sense?!" Juvia demanded, wanting to see Kyousuke's perspective on the idea of love. Kyousuke, surprisingly, did give an explanation, one that was quite introspective.

"If someone was to truly deserve that kind of respect, everything I do would be because of their existence. The only reason I choose to live right now is because of that person, and I'm willing to do everything I can to make sure they're safe. They've done the same for me all of this time, and so I'm willing to return the favor for someone who really puts that much effort for me of all people." Kyousuke explained. Juvia looked at him quite shocked, having not expected such a response from someone like him. She could tell that he truly did care for someone in particular, but didn't know who.

"I see." She said calmly, staring about. The amount of care she held for Gray himself had changed how she saw the world, and she was always in love with him, even if he was to reject her initially. The way Kyousuke saw it though, was deep and powerful. "So then, who is this person you're talking about?" Juvia questioned. Kyousuke pulled out his pistols and put a grin on his face, mirroring their typical expression as he got up and stared at her in response.

"Who do you think?" He questioned. Juvia stared at him a bit in wonder, until she realized who he was talking about, sending her into a spiral of shock.

"WHAT, NO WAY?! BOYS LOVE?!"

"DON'T DRAMATIZE EVERYTHING!" Kyousuke angrily yelled, ready to get back on track after revealing that piece of information. Someone was charging their way, and it prompted the two to start taking things seriously again, both setting their attention on something approaching from behind. "Get ready, someone's coming after us!" Kyousuke informed as Juvia got battle ready. They suddenly heard loud screaming come their way as they realized that they were in the midst of destruction. "Get down!" Kyousuke shouted prompting the two to duck as a large figure came blasting through the two metal pillars, weaving a wake of destruction in his path. Seeing who it was, Kyousuke remembered the figure and knew exactly who it was, remembering what he did to him in the past. "Ugh, it's you." Kyousuke said in disgust, getting up as Juvia did, staring at the large male standing before them.

"You should've known that I was going to come after you." He stated with a dark tone, leaving Kyousuke unfazed. Juvia couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

"Who are you?!" She demanded earning no immediate response as Kyousuke took over the conversation.

"Oh yeah? Grock Stellar, your 'stellar' performance was a flop, so what is there to be afraid of?"

"How dare you use my name in a pun!" He yelled angrily, attacking Kyousuke as the latter jumped out of the way. Grock hit the metal pillar he ran through and further destroyed it, immediately going for Juvia as she jumped out of the way. At that point, Grock looked up to see Kyousuke standing on the ceiling, using his electricity as a magnet to keep him from falling down. He only had his arms crossed as he stared at Grock with a calm, provocative expression.

"It's not my fault you can't live up to your name."

"I'm better than you and you know it!" Grock angrily yelled. Juvia was watching until she was distracted by another sight, just as Kyousuke went on.

"You joined the empire, a place full of trash. That only makes you trash, and I don't like trash." Kyousuke mocked, further provoking him. He saw his quick temperament to rage as a sign of weakness, since he would be controlled by his anger and wouldn't be able to focus, as Kyousuke had seen it. As Juvia was watching, she was suddenly distracted by the sudden appearance of another wizard behind her.

"Hey blue-haired girl, I hope you're worth the challenge. I might dent someone as pretty as you if I'm not careful." The guy said cockily, just as Grock noticed him there.

"We don't have time to play games. Our orders were to eliminate them, and so we're doing just that." Grock explained, only for the guy to dismiss it.

"Who cares about orders, I want to keep her as my own personal garment."

"Don't you even dare!" Juvia threatened as the guy only laughed. Kyousuke looked back from the ceiling to realize that it was the same cocky guy from the demonstrations into Stealth Overdrive.

"You have to be kidding me." Kyousuke grunted, annoyed with them being there already.

"What, are you afraid that we're going to gang up on you?" The cocky guy questioned, only for Kyousuke to immediately come-back.

"I have to listen to you two complain to each other, good lord."

"I only work with him, that's all." Grock stated, as if Kyousuke could care. Grock then started to get impatient, starting off the fight as the two got ready to battle. "Hope you can handle it this time; I'm ready to prepare a slam-dunk!" Grock warned attacking Kyousuke on the ceiling as Kyousuke jumped out of the way, landing on the ground whilst staying on the defensive. He gave Grock a cunning stare as if he could mold the entire situation to his wishes.

"You said you were going to eliminate me, right? That's a good thing, because I was ordered to do the same."

"I'd like to see you try to lay a finger on me!" Grock threatened, attacking once again as Kyousuke prepared to battle. He whipped out his pistols and fired a couple energized bullets at Grock, prompting him to deflect them as they had no effect, only for Kyousuke to come up and elbow him in the stomach, sending him flying into the wall as he blew open a hole and flew into another room. Kyousuke then walked into the new room, preferring to fight in an area where he didn't have to worry about colliding with Juvia and her fight.

"Such big talk from a loser; is that all you've got?" Kyousuke questioned as Grock got up. He wasn't fazed from the attack, ready to fight once more.

"I'm not finished with you!" He yelled, flying up at Kyousuke and preparing to attack. Kyousuke attempted to grab his arm and stop him from punching, only for the impact of the punch to overpower Kyousuke and send him stumbling back, looking at Grock in surprise.

" _His attacks; they're stronger!"_ Kyousuke noticed, only for Grock to punch him in the stomach and send him flying out of the hole. Kyousuke hit the wall painfully, sliding down as Grock readjusted his arms, giving light to so called "limb-enhancers".

"I could kill you with enough power in a single strike if I wanted to, but I like to play around with my enemies before I crush them in one blow!" Grock explained with pride, only for Kyousuke to spit and get back up.

"I didn't come here to play, I came here to fight. Give me a good fight you brawn!" Kyousuke yelled, flying at Grock with impressive speed as he did an attack combo consisting of punches and kicks, only for Grock to defend himself from each one. Grock then attempted to hit Kyousuke in the face, only for Kyousuke to enhance his attacks with his electricity and hit Grock in the side with a round-house kick. He then proceeded with a back-fist, only for it to be countered by Grock with equal force, thanks to his own back-fist. At that moment, Grock then grabbed Kyousuke by his arm and threw him at the wall, to which Kyousuke landed on and kicked off of at Grock, who blocked an incoming attack from Kyousuke.

"Brute force trumps all, you should've known that." Grock stated, preparing to attack when Kyousuke ducked his punch and uppercut him in the stomach. At that point, Kyousuke grabbed him and punched him in the face, grabbing him by the soldiers and flipping him around to where he elbowed Grock in the back with enough force to send the two flying into the wall, hitting the ground afterwards as Kyousuke pinned him into the ground, Grock already in much pain.

"Didn't see that coming did you?" Kyousuke questioned, holding him down. At that point, Grock suddenly flipped himself over and pinned Kyousuke to the ground, where he could punch him in the face. As a reaction, Kyousuke kneed Grock in the chest and head-butt him in the same area, sending him flying as Kyousuke used his electricity to enhance the attack. Getting up, he charged at Grock, ready to take him out in one strike. Grock, however, wasn't finished.

"This isn't over!" He yelled, taking out a white substance and throwing it at Kyousuke, binding him and somehow managing to cause him to trip onto a conveyor belt that was held still. Grock, seeing a switch next to him, activated it and turned on the conveyor belt, moving Kyousuke down to an active saw-blade that would cut him up to pieces. Grock grabbed him real quick, binding him some more so that the substance wouldn't slip on him and head-butted Kyousuke once before grabbing him once again. "Good luck getting out of this one, you're finished!" Grock shouted, laughing hysterically as he tossed Kyousuke onto the belt once more. Kyousuke couldn't move and was stuck on the conveyor belt, angrily looking at Grock with rage.

"Damn you bastard! Couldn't beat me because you're too weak huh?!" Kyousuke angrily chastised, spewing rage as Grock just stood there looking at him as Kyousuke was on a belt to death. " _Dammit! I have to break free! If I don't, it's game over."_ Kyousuke thought to himself in a panic. He was going to be killed if he didn't get out of his situation, and that obviously wasn't good. " _I can't let this happen! I promised myself that I would live for Gajeel! If I die now, it will all be for nothing!"_

* * *

As that ensued, Sophia and Daniel had quite the predicament of their own, especially against someone who used illusions. It was lucky for them that thanks to her magic, Sophia was immune to the illusions, but Daniel wasn't, and that's what was detrimental for them. Daniel was struggling to get back onto his feet as he watched Sophia face off against Midnight herself, knowing that she had the upper-hand in comparison to Daniel. Sophia launched a giant crystal she crafted herself at Midnight, only for him to distort it and attempt to bind Sophia with it, who fired more crystals at Midnight and forced him to drop the act.

"Your illusions won't work against me, and you have no way to beat me if you can't distort more than one item at once. Don't you see that you've already lost?" Sophia commented crystals floating about from her hands as Midnight managed to keep his cool.

"So quick to conclusions, don't you think? We've just started, and I haven't had a chance to make you scream." He exclaimed sadistically, preparing to attack with his Spiral Pain as Sophia was ready to attack, witnessing the air before her being distorted into a large spiral. Using the spiral pain to her advantage, she fired a barrage of crystals into the spiral, prompting them to spin around in frenzy as some of them flew off at Midnight and forced him to dodge. Sophia, at that point in time, forged a Crystal Sword and prepared to attack him right then and there, only for the attack to be deflected as he distorted the weapon and remained unharmed. "Did you really think that was going to work?"

"Shut up! I'll make something work!" Sophia retorted, only amusing Midnight as she went after him. Daniel could only watch in frustration as she took on Midnight herself. He was already bruised up as a result of being prone to his illusions, which made it harder for him to fight.

"Dammit, I'm too vulnerable against him. Sophia's immune to his illusions, which is how she can fight him one on one, but I'm not!" Daniel said to himself in frustration. He watched as Sophia escaped Midnight's attempt to distort the outside of the ship itself and restrain her, watching as she fired her Rocket Particle spell and managed to force Midnight to shield himself from the crystals. As she resorted to hand-to-hand combat, Daniel only became more frustrated. "I have to do something!" Daniel shouted, yet unable to figure out what to do. Sophia managed to get herself caught in Midnight's spiral pain, leaving her in a painful predicament as Midnight went on to bind her with the ship itself.

"I hope you're ready for what I'm about to do next." He informed sadistically, ready to torture her helpless self as she was rendered unable to escape.

"No!" Daniel shouted, intervening as he ran after Midnight himself. Sophia saw him, trying to escape the ship itself before it could get to her as she called out to Daniel.

"NO! Don't attack him Daniel!" She yelled to no avail. He instantly attacked with his Acid Magic, only for Midnight to deflect it and stare at him with his usual sadistic smirk. To follow up, Daniel swept Midnight off of his feet with a sweep kick, getting physical and managing to get somewhere with his situation.

" _Just one blast!"_ He thought to himself quickly, charging up his magic power as he prepared to fire off at a shocked Midnight. He used his Acid Magic: Storm Weave; a spell that created a giant, targeted blast of acid magic that not only burned the opponent, but also acted as an energy blast that invoked enough damage to the opponent to put them in a weakened state, giving him the advantage. After firing the blast, he ran to Sophia and freed her from the ship with his magic as he got her to safety. "Are you alright?" He questioned calmly, to which Sophia calmly replied.

"I'm fine, but it's not over yet." She said calmly, trying to find out where Midnight was. Suddenly, Sophia picked up on a strange signal and realized something shocking. "Daniel! Look out behind you!" She yelled, prompting Daniel to turn and see nothing as Sophia broke free of his grip. In doing so, she immediately attacked Midnight and stopped him from hitting Daniel with a fatal blow, one that he would've been helpless to thanks to Midnight's illusions.

"You know what, you have become quite frustrating." Midnight acknowledged, encasing Sophia within his Spiral Pain as she screamed helplessly, prompting him to toss her and finish Daniel off.

"Don't you even dare!" She yelled in response, using her Crystal Magic to cling herself to the ship as she fired off a single, giant crystal at Midnight. Seeing it, Midnight simply distorted it and fired it back at Sophia, who dodged it and charged directly for him, tackling into him and sending the two flying off of the ship. "You won't be beating us this time!" Sophia yelled looking at a frustrated Midnight as the two fell off of the ship. Daniel, getting up and witnessing it all happen, ran over to look for the two, both no longer on top of the ship. He called out to her in a sense of worry.

"Sophia! Sophia!" He yelled, worried for her. She wasn't there, and neither was Midnight. The two weren't there, were they dead?

* * *

As that happened, Juvia was in quite the situation of her own, fighting off against the cocky guy in a room away from Kyousuke and Grock. The two stood there after an initial brawl, staring each other down as they waited for who would make the next move. The cocky guy was interested in having a quick conversation, to lighten the mood as he saw it.

"Let's get something straight, my name is Evon Stellar. That guy out there, he's not my brother; he's just my cousin who's too much of a brute to carry the greatness I have." He went on and on. Juvia couldn't help but stare at him perplexed, wondering what he was talking about.

"Ugh, okay? I don't remember asking you about who he was."

"Oh, don't worry; you need to know at some point. Everything I do will be respected!" He went on, further perplexing Juvia as she was unable to respond. She could only stare at him in confusion as he went on about how great he was.

" _This guy's lost in his head. What do I do?"_ She wondered in puzzlement, unsure of how to deal with someone whose ego was as big as his. In spite of such, she went on to question him of his motives. "Why are you doing this?" She questioned, earning a perplexed look from Evon.

"Huh? What are you going on about?"

"Why are you working for the empire?! They are terrible people!"

"Oh, you mean them." He said, flailing his arm about as he went on. "After not being able to pass the demonstration thanks to that giant idiot knocking me out, I decided to head here since I had nothing else to do."

"Don't you care about the people that live on this planet?" Juvia questioned, prompting Evon to think about it. After a few minutes, he shrugged his shoulders in response, disgusting Juvia.

"The people on this planet are only going to praise me anyways, so why do they matter?"

"I've no reason to speak with you, let's get this over with." Juvia stated sternly, ready to fight as Evon did the same, still being an egomaniac once again. Evon quickly drew a couple SMGs, ready to fire away at Juvia at heart's content.

"Hope you're ready, this will be over before you know it!" He shouted, firing about as he aimed for Juvia. Luckily for her, her water made her immune to the bullets he fired, for each bullet passed through her and left her unfazed.

"Nice try; my water makes me immune to your bullets. Fire all you want, you won't hurt me!" Juvia shouted, preparing to use her water slicer as she sent a blade of water flying at Evon, who managed to dodge it and watch as the water cut through a wall. He sent a surprised look her way as she fired off another one, missing him once again for he was too fast to be hit.

"Wow, you've got some crafty techniques with that water. However, I'm still better than you."

"If that's what you think, I'd like to see some proof!" Juvia shouted, ready to fight as Evon suddenly sped up after Juvia. He tried punching through Juvia, only for Juvia to manage to dodge it by using her water. Despite such, she was somewhat caught off guard by his speed. " _Wow, he's fast, but without his magic he can't do anything!"_ Juvia thought to himself. At that point, Evon started using magic against Juvia suddenly, preparing to attack her with limb-enhancers like Grock. They proved to be effective as Juvia was damaged by that attack. It seemed like the limb-enhancers themselves targeted sensory nerves within the body, making them useful against a defense such as Juvia's water body. She shouted in pain from that hit, preparing to dodge the next with great difficulty for his speed proved to be advantageous in his favor.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" He shouted, suddenly circling Juvia at high speed as she was forced to look around for his whereabouts.

" _I can't target him!"_ She thought to herself in frustration, only becoming more frustrated as he toyed with her whilst doing so.

"Can't catch me, can't you?!" He taunted, suddenly pummeling right into her as she was launched into the wall. It was with enough force to create a dent in the wall, causing her pain as she managed to get up. Evon only looked at her with an ecstatic look on his face as she became frustrated.

"I won't lose to someone like you!" She shouted, immediately firing off a large beam of scolding hot water and managing to hit him and burn him in the process.

"Damn! This is hot water, you must be pretty angry." He pestered, earning no response from Juvia for she was determined to beat him. At that moment, he started punching through the water she fired at him, managing to get closer with every punch as she eventually realized he was going to get to her, resorting to using her Water Jigsaw in which she propelled herself at high speed towards Evon, launching the both of them directly out of the room as they crashed into a wall, landing them in another room entirely. After painfully hitting the ground, Juvia quickly got up and fired off another water slicer at Evon, only for him to block it and attack Juvia head on, grabbing her arms and putting her in an arm lock so that she couldn't break free. "Looks like you've been too slow to anticipate." He said cockily, holding her back as she struggled to break free, despite the pain that she felt. She wasn't able to break free, considering that she was bound with the same substance used on Kyousuke, rendering her immobile as she couldn't do anything but struggle. Now that she was immobile, Evon could take her to the higher-ranking officials of the empire and interrogate her, despite her pleas.

"Why are you doing this?! Don't you care about the planet you live on?" She begged out of desperation. Nevertheless, Evon dismissed her pleas and acted as if it wasn't important at all.

"I'll start caring when the world praises me, but as for now, it's not worth my time."

"You're such an egomaniac! There will be no world if you continue to work with these bastards!" Juvia argued, trying to sway his opinion to no avail. He just dragged her helplessly out of the room to meet Grock as if he was finished with Kyousuke.

"Just you wait girl, you have a lot to see when it comes to this empire, especially since you know nothing about it." He stated calmly, surprising Juvia yet not swaying her opinion. She continued to struggle as he dragged her out of the room, having no intention to kill like his cousin did with Kyousuke.

* * *

The group was already in quite the predicament despite their initial goals, and as far as they were concerned, they weren't getting very far. However, it was lucky for them that there were too wizards in particular who were very skilled combatants, ready to take out anyone that they came across. Coming across a massive group of soldiers, the two combined efforts to take them out. One used their Iron Dragon's Roar whilst the other used their Musica Sword, decimating all the soldiers within a single strike for the powerhouse they were.

"I'm starting to get bored with all of these cheap soldiers thinking they can put up a fight against me." Gajeel said whilst popping his knuckles, ready for anything else that comes his way. Pantherlily holstered his sword, coming across an interesting sight that allowed them to turn the tables on the mission.

"Looks like we've found the ship's controls." Pantherlily stated, unknowingly engaging the two pilots already there as they prepared to attack.

"You won't be controlling this ship anytime soon!" They shouted, preparing to attack as Gajeel punched one in the stomach and tossed him behind, Pantherlily doing the same to the other. With those two out of the way, Pantherlily was free to take control of the ship, just as Gajeel was about to set off onto another area, ready to sabotage it.

"Lily, you know what to do." Gajeel reminded him, just as Pantherlily took control and acknowledged it.

"Right. What about you?" He questioned in wonder, just as Gajeel put a grin on his face before heading out.

"I'm gonna have some fun with all these scumbags on the ship." Gajeel said sadistically, heading out and letting Pantherlily get to work. With those two on the ship, their rate of success skyrocketed, and they were ready to take the ship out. As Gajeel walked out, he came across a large group of soldiers surrounding him, attempting to take him out.

"Drop your weapon! This is an immediate order!" One of the soldiers shouted, only for Gajeel to narrow his eyes as he grinned sadistically.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of our way?!" Gajeel shouted, immediately attacking with his Iron Dragon's Club and taking out all the soldiers without much effort. Some of the ones that managed to stay outside of the attack radius stared at Gajeel in fear, already feeling his powerful presence as he dominated the area. His grin disappeared and all that was left was his serious, penetrating eyes that could tear right through their souls. "You obviously don't get it, do you? We're not gonna stop tearing through all your crap until we've beaten you into the ground, and I'm gonna make sure of that. I'm gonna make you feel that same fear." Gajeel threatened, holding his fist up as a black mist surrounded it. He wasn't finished, and he was going to finish it, whether they liked it or not.


	17. Chapter 17: Vicious Rage

Chapter 17: Vicious Rage

One guy stuck on top of a ship, with no one but himself. Sophia wasn't there; she had fallen off of the ship and was currently nowhere to be seen.

"Sophia! If you can hear me, shout out!" Daniel shouted, trying to find out where she was to no avail. He ran all over the front side of the ship, looking for her but finding no traces of her or Midnight, both seemingly vanished from mid-air. In disbelief of such, he paced back and forth over the same areas, trying to find her as his worry grew with each passing second, eventually coming to the idea that she was gone. "No, she can't be gone. It wouldn't be that easy to stop her!" He assured himself, only to become filled with distraught at such. It was hard for him to believe such, especially when nothing else showed itself for a while. His doubt only grew stronger. "At least, that's what should happen, right?" He questioned, becoming upset as he soon sat down onto the ship. He put his hands on his head in shock, unable to figure out what actually happened and worried that she might really be gone. What if that was the end of her? He didn't want to believe it. "We've been on this team for so long; you can't just go. You're better than that." Daniel explained calmly, not wanting to believe it. As much as he fought with Sophia on a daily basis, he never truly wanted to put her life at stake, especially when she was already upset over going to the Crystal Falls in the first place. The sight of her falling off the ship became more vivid with each passing second, it being the only thing coursing through his mind as he sat there in sadness. "Dammit, prove me wrong for once! Prove me wrong knowing that you're dead!" Daniel shouted, somehow triggering a response as he saw a large, lavender light shoot up from the ground and envelope the sky. Following that was Midnight being tossed onto the ship, being physically restrained by crystal chains as he was forced to stare angrily at a crystallized Sophia, floating before the two. She was covered in a lavender aura with her body being tinted lavender, followed by her eyes being a powerful white, much like Theotrin and Kyousuke's. She was seen floating before the two as Midnight shot her a glare of frustration.

"Damn you witch! I would've never expected you to be the capsule for the Crystal Fusion!" He angrily yelled, earning no reaction from Sophia but putting Daniel into a state of shock.

"Crystal Fusion?! What the hell are you talking about?!" Daniel questioned in shock, earning no response as Sophia went on to eliminate Midnight.

"I am Sophia Carrol, the divine goddess of the Crystal Temple, the vessel for the Crystal Fusion, and the guiding force behind your end!" She proclaimed. Daniel was in complete disbelief as was Midnight, both watching in shock as she fabricated a Crystal Spear before the two and aimed it at Midnight, charging up the power contained within the spear. She was about to deliver the final blow. "Following Sir Gajeel Redfox's orders, I will eliminate you and gain vengeance for the destruction you've caused to our family, and end the horror you've brought to face value! Meet your end!" She announced preparing to deal the final blow as Midnight had no way out of his predicament. It was the end, he was going to die, whether he liked it or not.

"No, it can't be! I'm I really going to fall to your hands?!" Midnight shouted in shock, unable to comprehend his predicament since he was so used to torturing others. Daniel couldn't stop Sophia, nor did he want to for that matter. He was too captivated by the power she possessed and who she proclaimed herself to be, he having no idea that she had such power. Seeing her in such a state made tears pour from his eyes, literally captivated by the beauty and essence of her existence so much that he couldn't help but stare endlessly into her lavender expression.

"Sophia...out of all this time...I had no clue that this was really who you were." Daniel explained in disbelief. The person he fought with all the time, the person he had as a comrade and close friend, the person who he cared for deeply as a friend, was the same essence that levitated before them all of this time. She was about to fire the spear off at a shocked Midnight, unable to do anything to escape his current fatal doom as Daniel looked at Sophia in complete shock. "Why didn't you tell me…?"

Sharp, piercing thoughts racing through the mind, penetrating the core and setting everything disarray, destabilizing the fusion and forcing painful thoughts to race through the mind, overwhelming the senses and overpowering the control over the state of mind.

"AAAGH, NO! STOP!" Sophia screamed, invoking much shock and puzzlement into the two as she fell from her levitation and hit the ship, suddenly shouting out in pain as she trembled amongst the ship, allowing for the crystal chain to be broken free of. She returned to her normal human form as Midnight, breaking free, went for Daniel first and attacked with his Invisible Scythe, quickly taking down Daniel as he fell to the ground. His next target was Sophia, aiming for her next. Running over to her, he grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up, watching her scream out in pain. The horrible thoughts running through her mind were more painful than the actuality of Midnight holding her up by her hair.

"Well well, didn't pull that off, did you? To think the Crystal Fusion would falter so easily, it's pathetic." Midnight chastised with a smirk, holding her as she screamed out in pain, much to his enjoyment.

"Let go of me! Stop, you can't do this! Please!" She begged, being more affected by the thoughts than what Midnight was doing, despite being noticeably affected by such. Daniel managed to get up himself, mustering the strength to stand on his feet and angrily face off with Midnight, regardless of the circumstances.

"Let her go! Why don't you finish me first?" Daniel persuaded, putting himself in a sacrificial position as Sophia was able to overhear it, immediately denying it.

"Daniel you idiot! You're going to get yourself killed! Don't do this!" She begged desperately. The last thing she wanted was for someone to sacrifice themselves for her sake, but despite that being so, Daniel was doing just that. Midnight shot him a glare of provoking interest, ready to toss Sophia as he was about to head for Daniel.

"Good idea. I'd better kill you off so you aren't a threat to my plans." He explained, ready to throw Sophia. He grabbed her by the hair and threw her off into the air, despite Daniel not having thought of such, proceeding to put her through a round of Spiral Pain for his enjoyment before he set his focus on Daniel. "I'll deal with you, Crystal Fusion, after I kill off your pathetic teammate." He stated calmly, blasting her forward with a burst of distorted air as she helplessly flew across the ship. Within seconds she bounced across the ship's surface, being brutalized enough and having much difficulty moving as it was.

"Damn you bastard!" She managed to muster with her strength. She tried to get up, but ended up tripping herself and falling back down, prompting her to cough up blood in pain as she continued to try to get up. "You know what Daniel; I hate how you're so willing to get yourself killed for my sake. It's like asking me to punch you in the face, which I know you wouldn't do. What the hell is provoking you to do this for me now?" Sophia grunted trying to get up yet faltering again, breathing heavily as blood dripped from her mouth in the great amount of pain she suffered. "Remember our dodgeball game? Man, if I only I had a dodgeball to toss at you to set your senses straight." Sophia said tiredly, unable to get up in her current state. Just as Midnight was about to face off against Daniel, his focus was turned elsewhere when he suddenly picked up on a fluctuation of magic energy.

"What the hell is that?" He wondered, looking at Sophia's direction for that's where it came from. She looked at him in shock, wondering what he was going to do until she realized what he was really doing. It wasn't her, but it was something else, and that something else suddenly came through the ship as it grabbed Sophia and put her in a state of surprise. Breaking from the ship, the large figure grabbed Sophia and landed in front of the hole he created, garnering much attention from everyone else on top of the ship. "Oh, it's just the gutter trash." Midnight stated, being somewhat irritated with his appearance as Daniel looked on in shock.

"Phew, I've should've expected to see him here." Daniel stated with a smile of relief, watching as the Iron Dragon Slayer held a battered Sophia in his arms. He looked at her in surprise over her condition.

"What the hell happened to you? You look like you got hit by a train." Gajeel explained with a grin, holding her as she looked at him in shock. That grin that was on his face soon disappeared when she started crying out of pure frustration, upset over how she couldn't take on his orders.

"I'm sorry Gajeel; I failed you. I tried so hard to take him out and I was almost there, but I just couldn't do it! I'm too weak!" She cried as tears fell down her cheeks. Gajeel looked at her with a serious expression, knowing of the dire situation she was in. He knew that what was happening was serious, and despite the fun he had in the ship, it was time to finish the game. He kneeled down and carefully set her back down on the ship, looking at her with a serious expression that was more determined than upset.

"I will repay your frustration with a thousand spades, you can count on that." Gajeel assured, getting up and facing Midnight as he headed his way. "I can handle this, and I will make sure nothing gets to you." Gajeel stated calmly, heading to Midnight as he was more interested by Gajeel than Daniel.

"So it seems that the trash has come out for once. I've been waiting to get my hands on you." Midnight said with a smirk, ready to assault him as Gajeel stood there with a serious, angry look on his face. He was going to stop him; either if that meant simply defeating him or ending his life. Nothing was capable of stopping him.

* * *

As that ensued, Kyousuke was found in quite the predicament, struggling to break free as Grock stood by and watched his perilous struggle lead him to his doom.

"You're not going to get out of death, it's already been decided." Grock stated with pleasure, watching as Kyousuke was being pulled to his doom. He had to get out of there one way or another, even if that meant rolling himself off of the conveyor belt, risking the chances of getting himself cut.

" _I have to get out of this! There's only one way!"_ Kyousuke shouted, ready to go with it as he went on with a course of action. Unfortunately though, he didn't have enough time to execute the desired course of action, and it was unfortunate enough for him that the current situation was inescapable. Within seconds the blade came into contact with him and started cutting away, sending bits and pieces of him flying as blood covered the scene. Nothing was left behind except a splat-sheet of blood; that was it, he was done for. All that was left of him was the blood scene that existed, nothing else. Oh what disaster the team would have to go through finding out that he didn't make it, what a shame. Grock only laughed hysterically over his death, enjoying how he no longer existed.

"Heh, good thing that's over. It's too bad he couldn't put up much of a fight to begin with." He explained calmly, preparing to take off and get with Evon on his matters. Everything seemed fine, especially after having satisfied his needs by killing him off. As he was walking out, a strange energy was emitting behind him, not garnering his attention as a giant spark suddenly flashed, colliding with him and sending him flying through a bunch of walls as Grock screamed in pain. Shockingly enough, whilst carrying a restrained Juvia, Evon came to Grock whilst such was taking place, being hit with Grock as he was forced to drop Juvia and let her struggle for freedom while he was knocked out by the force. After about the third wall, Grock was sent flying into another wall as he hit it and fell to the ground in severe pain, Evon behind him, unable to move properly as he was met with a face he really didn't want to see.

"You?! But how! You were cut to pieces!" He yelled in rage, unable to comprehend Kyousuke's ability to stand before him as he got up and attacked Kyousuke, the latter giving no response. Grock tried to punch him once again, only for Kyousuke to whip out his chokuto and attack the limb-enhancer, dealing no damage. Grock laughed at his failed attempt, that is, until Kyousuke turned things up a notch.

"Electric Dragon's Razor Blade: Resonance 60." Kyouskue chanted, activating a spell that coated his chokuto and suddenly revved up. Within seconds, Kyousuke managed to slice directly through the limb-enhancer, quickly pulling back the blade and slicing the other off as Grock panicked in frustration.

"HOW THE HELL?! MY LIMB ENHANCERS!" He screamed, preparing to punch once more as Kyousuke punched him directly in the face, kicking him back as he flew into Evon once again. Within seconds, he found himself in an inescapable situation as Kyousuke took control of the wires hanging about in the room with his electricity, thanks to having crashed through all those walls, and bound him up, restraining him as he angrily looked at Kyousuke in response. "I still don't get it; how the hell did you survive?! I saw YOU, and you were cut apart!" Grock angrily yelled, only amusing Kyousuke in the process. Kyousuke held his beam and tossed it about with a carefree attitude, looking at him like he had no idea.

"You're damn right about seeing that, but that's not what really happened, was it?" Kyousuke questioned, surprising Grock despite his rage.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You knew how I was unable to escape from my predicament before I hit the saw, and so you assumed that I was done for. What really happened was this: I was first was able to position myself so that the saw-blade would first cut the substance off before it got to me. This allowed enough time for me to escape; I was lucky enough to be so quick as to just barely getting cut by that blade." Kyousuke explained. There was a cut from the blade indicated on his clothing, shown as blood poured from the cut, but it wasn't deep enough to be considered severe. "Using that opportunity, thanks to this weird tool my superior gave me, I was able to fabricate a clone of myself that reenacted what would've happened if I did nothing." Kyousuke explained, flipping the beam as he smiled cunningly. Grock looked at him in shock, unable to comprehend how he managed to pull such a thing off.

"You...created a FAKE?!" He yelled angrily, prompting Kyousuke to further explain.

"It was a good one too. There are a lot of strange things I can pull off with this little nifty thing."

"AAGGH! I HATE YOU!" Grock angrily screamed flaunting in rage as Kyousuke stood above him with a sadistic smile, watching him suffer through his anger as he was taken over by it. "YOU THINK USING CHEAP TRICKS MAKES YOU BETTER THAN ME?!" Grock angrily yelled, to which Kyousuke had the audacity to respond to.

"Well I thought that after you used that substance to bind me; this wasn't about honor, go figure."

"SHUT THE HELL UP! I HATE, HATE YOU! I WILL KILL YOU!" He screamed out of pure rage. Staring at Kyousuke angrily, Kyousuke decided to give him one last important bit of information, more like personal advice.

"Kill me? You couldn't even stop me, and to think that you could is pathetic. Even if you did, you'd have a whole team of angry monsters to fight through, and I have no doubt that they would rip you to shreds without hesitation. The least I can do is kick your angry ass off of this ship." Kyousuke said, continuing to receive angry threats from Grock as Kyousuke prepared to kick him, along with Evon, off of the ship. "So long." He said, blasting them through the ground as a hole below the ship was made, allowing for them to fall through it and fall to oblivion. Kyousuke stared at the hole afterwards, thoughts reminiscing through his head as he thought of the things he said, and who he's become now. Grock and Evon were finished at this point, and that was a good thing. However, he still wasn't finished with his journey. "To think I'd say that someone was my superior; what a joke." He said to himself calmly, putting a smile on his face in response to such. "Well, at least they're worth the title. He's the only one who can handle me anyways." Kyousuke stated, taking off and walking back to the area this whole thing started in. He saw Juvia stuck in the substance struggling to break free, quite surprised himself. "Wow, you got caught in the same situation?" Kyousuke wondered in surprise, unintentionally upsetting Juvia.

"If you have enough time to talk, you can at least get me out of this thing!" Juvia shouted in frustration, Kyousuke being annoyed by such.

"You know, I could just leave you here, but since I'm such a nice guy, I'll let it go for now." Kyousuke calmly warned, grabbing her and removing the substance as she got used to her freedom once again. She stretched out whilst explaining the struggle of the fight.

"That guy just wouldn't stop talking about himself; talk about having an ego." Juvia stated calmly, just as Kyousuke looked at her.

"Knowing how bad Grock was, it's no surprise to me." Kyousuke stated calmly. Suddenly, they heard an explosion take place above themselves, wondering what was going on.

"Did you hear that?!"

"Yeah, it's coming from the ship's roof!" Kyousuke exclaimed, ready to take off. "We need to find the others!" Kyousuke shouted as Juvia agreed, both taking off and searching for the others.

* * *

Speaking of them, it was an already intense fight with Gajeel having to keep up on his speed to counteract Midnight's illusions and stay out of harm's way, which made things more frustrating for Midnight himself. Midnight couldn't necessarily use his distort shield against Gajeel in the same way that he did Sophia since most of his attacks were attached to his physical body, therefore it technically being a human-extension and therefore cannot be distorted. Gajeel did fire his Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs spell, which Midnight managed to counter with his distort shield and follow up with his air scythe, which Gajeel was able to block with his iron. With the fight temporarily taking a stand still, Gajeel found himself caught in one of Midnight's illusions as he was elbowed in the back by the real Midnight, almost about to be caught in a Spiral Pain when he reacted fast enough to attack with his Iron Dragon's Club, pushing Midnight back a great deal and forcing the latter to fight with a different course of action. He activated his invisibility, prompting Gajeel to rely on his senses aside from his sight. The only one who could see him 24/7 was Sophia. Sophia couldn't act as a sort of surveillance for Gajeel though, since she could potentially put herself in the position of being a target and could also prove to be a distraction for Gajeel himself, which she didn't want. Gajeel, though, sniffing him out and using his advanced hearing capabilities, was able to find him approaching from behind, despite the illusion being in-front of him as he punched the ground with enough force to knock out the illusion.

"Damn you bastard!" Midnight shouted in frustration, just as Gajeel whipped out his Iron Dragon's Sword and attempted to hit him, to which he missed as Midnight jumped out of the way. Charging for Midnight, Gajeel attempted to slice through him when Midnight distorted the air below him, flipping him off of his feet as he flipped forward and spun around to slice him from behind, missing as well as Midnight dodged it. At one point, Gajeel did manage to land a direct punch to the gut, hitting him with enough force and extending that with his Iron Dragon's Club to send him flying. Rolling across the ground, Midnight got to his feet and kneeled there, looking at Gajeel with frustration. "It's always the same with you, isn't it?" He questioned, earning no response. Suddenly, without warning, everyone's attention was focused on Pantherlily, coming out of the same hole Gajeel did as he put his focus on the group.

"Pantherlily!" Sophia shouted in surprise, only for it to be turned to shock.

"You, pathetic scum!" Midnight shouted angrily, quickly attacking with his scythe before suspending him in the air with his spiral pain and binding him with his sword. He screamed out in pain as everyone else was sent into shock, Gajeel in particular.

"Lily!" He shouted in shock, watching as he was tortured by Midnight out of rage.

"It's hard enough believing that you escaped our forces, but getting away with our cloak crosses the line!" He yelled, earning nothing but suffering from the exceed as Gajeel became increasingly angry with each passing second.

"Damn you!" Gajeel yelled, charging after Midnight as the latter prepared to finish Lily off. Before anyone could do anything, Midnight was able to distort the Musica Sword in such a manner that it literally seemed as if he was using some sort of telekinesis, immediately stabbing him in the stomach as everyone froze in response. Gajeel froze, watching in horror as Pantherlily fell to the ground with the sword in his stomach, being forced through him forcefully when he hit the ground and its handle made contact with the ship, pushing the blade further through him for he was stabbed in the back. "PANTHERLILY!"

"Dammit! I'm sorry; I didn't think this would happen!" Pantherlily stuttered as he dealt with the excruciating pain. The group couldn't bear to see him in this state, especially his partner of all people. Daniel simply froze as Sophia panicked.

"Oh my gosh, Pantherlily!" Sophia screamed in shock, being forced to witness his dire situation as Midnight prepared to toss him.

"It's time to pay! Be gone worthless rubble!" He angrily yelled, tossing him off the ship as Gajeel froze and watched in shock, as did Dainel and Sophia.

"NO!" Sophia shouted in shock, watching as Pantherlily helplessly fell off of the ship and vanished from sight. Gajeel couldn't believe it, he lost him, again. It wasn't the first time this happened, and to think that he would witness the whole thing take place as his partner was tossed from the ship. He was first tortured, then stabbed, then tossed like a useless tool no one cared to have anymore. Pantherlily was gone, taken from Gajeel just like before. He thought he was dead, gone in the wind to never be seen again. All the time that he spent searching for someone like him, only for him to be taken from his hands like taking candy from a baby. Gajeel was pissed. He was full of anger, enraged, ready to set off on Midnight like never before. He clenched his fists angrily as he became full of anger, tunnel vision taking over as Midnight was made his prime target, the land become bleak and the skies becoming dark as he could only feel rage, rage, rage.

"You're going to pay for that." Gajeel threatened viciously, suddenly becoming immersed in a dark mist as Midnight turned back in amusement.

"I'm not impressed, especially from…" He said, turning back as his expression turned to shock by seeing a dark force envelope him. HIs illusions couldn't save him now; he was finished. Sophia and Daniel's eyes widened as Gajeel whipped out an Iron Mist Dragon's Club, immediately taking out Midnight and sending him flying with a single strike.

"What the hell has happened to him?!" Midnight shouted in shock, preparing to bind Gajeel to the ship and torture him as he was suddenly prevented from doing so. Gajeel, standing there, suddenly grew an extra set of dark mist arms that spiraled out into the sky, grabbing Midnight and slamming him down onto the ship with brute force. Blood was coughed up as a result, Midnight himself unable to comprehend what was happening. " _What the hell kind of power is this?! I can't even bear the thought of witnessing it!"_ He shouted in shock, just as he was slammed about on the ship in frenzy as an enraged Gajeel stood there without moving a muscle, staring him down with pure rage. His rage wasn't aggressive in an outwardly manner like Natsu for instance, but it was dark and menacing, ready to kill without hesitation. Being the target for his rage was like feeling a black sword being stabbed in the heart, slowly being pushed in for ages on end as the only sensation that could be felt was endless pain, the only thing feeling the slightest bit relieving was the overwhelming amount of fear accompanied by it. Pulling Midnight to him, Gajeel grabbed him by the head and slammed him down into the ship, rendering Midnight immobile as he proceeded to use his Iron Mist Dragon's Club to pummel him around the ship in a rage.

"You think you are so sadistic, torn apart, full of hatred spilling from your insides." Gajeel explained darkly, managing to invoke fear into even Midnight himself as the latter looked at him terrified, helpless in his situation. "You are nothing, nothing but a pathetic excuse. Your magic tells me how weak you are, using pathetic, cheap tricks like illusions to throw me off guard. Calling yourself Midnight is an insult to me Macbeth."

" _How the hell does he know my real name?!"_ Midnight thought in complete terror. Gajeel grabbed Midnight and threw him across the ship, leaving a trail of blood in his wake as Midnight tried crawling away, overwhelmed in fear as he saw Gajeel approaching.

"You have a lot to learn about being sadistic." Gajeel explained walking to Midnight as Sophia watched in shock, Daniel being paralyzed by seeing him in such a way as Sophia called out.

"GAJEEL! STOP! What the hell has happened to you?!" She shouted in horror, trying to stop him to no avail. He just continued on, ready to make Midnight experience true suffering.

"You're afraid of fear, even though you feel it every day. All you ever are is consumed by fear; it's why you torture people to satisfy your hopeless inner drive to stand above them. It's the only reason why you're sadistic. The thing is: I feel it all." Gajeel explained, proceeding to torture Midnight by inflicting the darkness energy within him, causing him to scream as it rattled through his insides, rupturing certain muscles and rapidly expanding and contracting others. Sophia, watching Midnight scream, couldn't take it anymore.

"I CAN'T TAKE THIS! GAJEEL, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? THIS ISN'T LIKE YOU!" She screamed, running up to him and literally beating on him as if he was going to listen. He was out of control, and the only way to stop him was to forcefully put him out of commission for the time being, especially when he has gone berserk like right now. Knowing that the darkness energy was from the Cloak of Nocturne, she tried to pull the cloak off of him, thinking that he slipped it on during his fatal sight with Pantherlily. She, however, just grabbed the air before her. "What?!" She shouted in shock, trying to grab it again but unable to grasp anything. The truth was, he wasn't wearing the cloak. "The cloak; it's not there!"

"What?!" Daniel shouted in shock, watching as Sophia started to panic.

"IT'S NOT THERE! THE GODDAMN CLOAK ISN'T THERE! GAJEEL, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" She screamed, just as Gajeel turned and looked at her with one eye. At that moment, dark mist arms grew forth once again, grabbing Sophia and lifting her off of the ground. She was sent into a panic as the arms picked her off the ground, moving her about.

"GAJEEL! STOP PLEASE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" She screamed, just as Daniel panicked himself.

"GAJEEL! WHAT THE HELL HAS HAPPENED TO YOU! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL SOPHIA!" He screamed, watching as Sophia was sat down next to Daniel _without_ any injuries being inflicted. At that moment, Kyousuke and Juvia both came up from the hole that Gajeel came out of, only for Kyousuke to be paralyzed by the sight he came to see.

"Gajeel…" He said in shock, unable to say anything else as Juvia saw the same, panicking herself.

"What in the world! Gajeel!" She shouted, hearing all the torture as her panic rose along the lines of everyone else's. Quickly running over to Sophia and Daniel, she quickly was informed on the situation as she was sent into as much of a panic as they were. Kyousuke, however, wasn't like the others. Seeing him in this state somehow opened up another side to him, literally making Kyousuke a vessel for the energy as the energy itself pulsed through his veins, making him feel more alive than ever before.

" _It's him, the true essence of his pain and suffering brought to existence! He knows what it's like; he understands!"_ Kyousuke thought to himself in complete shock, unable to comprehend the sight as Gajeel stopped torturing Midnight, proceeding to suspend him in midair as he grabbed and choked him.

"Fear, suffering, pain, devastation, despair, all of that crap is bundled in one package known as the mind. You know nothing about pain, and you don't deserve to inflict it." Gajeel explained darkly, putting Midnight on the edge of his life as he was near death. Pantherlily, pulling himself up from the side of the ship, also dealing with the major wound inflicted, watched in horror. It was shocking enough that he managed to survive it all, more so be able to prevent himself from falling off of the ship. However, seeing Gajeel this way sent something seriously wrong down his system, and it made him feel out of touch with Gajeel.

"What the hell is this?! Gajeel! What the hell are you doing?!" He said in shock, watching as Gajeel was nearly taken over by rage. He couldn't hear Pantherlily calling out to him, but even if he did, it wouldn't stop the rage he had for Midnight from being expressed. Sophia kept screaming out to him to no avail. She knew that Kyousuke also came up, but was put into more of a panic when she saw him paralyzed. Seeing Kyousuke just standing there, she ran over to him and started shaking him out of panic.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? YOU HAVE TO STOP HIM! HE'S GONE COMPLETELY INSANE! You're the only one who can bring him back to his senses! You have to help him!" Sophia screamed, unable to snap Kyousuke out of the paralysis he experienced.

" _He's not insane! It's his emotions! He can only hold them back for so long."_ He thought to himself in shock. Nevertheless, Sophia got up and charged for Gajeel, slamming her fists on his back again as he dropped Midnight and let him suffer with his pain, tossing him off of the ship. Gajeel then dealt with Sophia as she then resorted to using her magic to stop him. She tried piercing him with her crystals in order to snap him out of it, but upon doing so she caused a surge of dark mist to overtake the crystal and attack her, severely burning her in the process.

"AAGGH! IT BURNS! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Sophia screamed, trying to back away from Gajeel and eliminate the mist as Daniel couldn't stand by and watch, preparing to attack Gajeel on the spot.

" _I'm sorry Gajeel, but I have no choice!"_ He thought to himself in shock and upset, taking off after the enraged Gajeel. "You've lost control! I have to stop you!" He shouted, ready to take him on as the Iron Dragon Slayer shot him a deadly look.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! EVERYONE STOP SCREAMING NOW!" Kyousuke screamed in rage, prompting everyone to freeze and focus their attention on him as Kyousuke stood there, breathing heavily from witnessing it all. He looked at Daniel with shock, being upset by his actions. "Don't touch him; you have no idea of what you're doing." Kyousuke warned, provoking Daniel.

"Are you blind?! Do you not see what has happened to him!? He's lost control…"

"I don't care what you think has happened! You don't understand ANYTHING about this! You have NO IDEA!" Kyousuke angrily raged, prompting Daniel to stand back and look at Kyousuke in shock as did the others, except Gajeel, who stared at him with that same dark look. He was completely covered in the mist, oozing it out as the only trait of him noticeable was his eyes, their shape and color. Everything else about him was covered in the mist, only reminiscent of the form itself. "I'm the only one who could possibly understand Gajeel's inner world and everything he's felt. I know what it's like to be consumed by rage and hatred." He explained. Kyousuke walked up to Gajeel, unafraid of him as the others freaked out.

"What are you doing?! He could kill you!"

"He's not going to kill me!" Kyousuke shouted angrily, putting them at bay. He calmed down a bit and explained why they couldn't understand. "You don't know how to deal with this energy. You two are full of light; you travel on a path that isn't full of darkness. Someone who hasn't traversed that path doesn't know what it's like." Kyousuke explained, walking up to Gajeel as the latter gave him that same stare. Daniel refused to take that for an answer.

"That means nothing! Why do you think you can help him?!" Daniel demanded, wanting an answer as Kyousuke stood there frozen, thinking about it as Gajeel just stared at him. Having not responded right away, Daniel took that as a no. "That's what I thought."

"You thought wrong." Kyousuke responded, puzzling Daniel yet frustrating him even more as Sophia burst out.

"Well then what the hell is it?!"

"I can tele-communicate with him!" Kyousuke shouted, surprising the others, even Pantherlily.

"Telepathy? But how?" Pantherlily questioned, as Kyousuke looked back at Gajeel as he thought about it.

"I don't know. Perhaps it has to do with our connection." Kyousuke explained, looking at his hand as he stood before the one that was supposed to be his partner. Not necessarily a counterpart, but someone who was the same, yet different enough to be one's own person. "I met him in the base, and I would have incidents where I telepathically communicated with him. It was as if he could read my mind and know what I was thinking. He could decipher my issues because he knew of the kind of emotions they inflicted, and that's exactly why I can help him out now." Kyousuke explained. He then got to it, having had enough with discussion as he needed to help out Gajeel. Unaffected by him, Kyousuke approached Gajeel and grabbed his shoulder lightly, turning him around, much to the surprise of the others.

"How is he doing that?" Sophia questioned in shock. Even Pantherlily, unaware of Gajeel being able to go into a state of madness like this, was shocked as well by Kyousuke's actions. As Gajeel turned around, giving him the same stare, Kyousuke put a hand on the center of his chest, feeling the energy pulsing through him as he figured out what was going on. He picked up on how the cloak wasn't there, and came to only one accurate conclusion, one he would question him on afterwards.

"You're just angry, aren't you?" Kyousuke questioned, knowing the answer as Gajeel gave him the same look with no response. Kyousuke continued to keep his hand pressed against his chest, grabbing his shoulder and attempting to comfort him by feeling the rage reeling out of him, allowing for a soothing dragon slayer. "I know how much rage can go through you, how you would want to kill those you hate with so much passion. Hatred itself is a powerful force." Kyousuke explained, leaving the dragon slayer unfazed. Still giving him the same glare, Gajeel listened as Kyousuke went on, trying to get him to calm down. "I understand that you want to exact your revenge, but we've already achieved it. We got them back, and the only way we'll lose is if you go with them like this. I know you're in there; you can come back out again. Let me see the one who makes me happy the most, the one I opened up to." Kyousuke convinced, keeping a calm look on his face as everyone watched in shock. Suddenly, keeping the same posture, the mist itself disintegrated and dissipated into thin air, just as Gajeel kept staring at Kyousuke with that same look, only this time with his human self being shown. Gajeel looked away from Kyousuke for a bit and stared at the ground for a moment, thinking about what just happened as Kyousuke stared at him with the same expression. Daniel started questioning how he was able to enter that state in the first place.

"If he wasn't wearing the cloak, how did he enter that state?" Daniel questioned. He earned no response from Gajeel, who stared at the ground with feelings funneling through him as Kyousuke continued to stare at him, knowing the answer.

"He ate the cloak."

"What?! You're joking, right?" Daniel questioned, just as Kyousuke shook his head.

"Why the hell would I joke in a time like this? It's the truth: he ate the cloak."

"But how would he have ate the cloak?! Wouldn't it have killed him if he tried?" Sophia questioned, prompting Kyousuke to respond.

"You're forgetting that he's a dragon slayer; that's how he ate the cloak. As a dragon slayer, I know he ate it. There's simply no other explanation." Kyousuke explained, leaving the others in shock as they stared at Gajeel speechless. Kyousuke, however, wasn't finished. "My question is, why?" Kyousuke wondered, worried about him as he knew of the consequences that came with eating the cloak. He didn't earn a response from Gajeel, who was still staring at the ground, upset over the situation. Without warning, Gajeel moved away from Kyousuke, focused on the task at hand whilst being upset over how he lost it in such a fashion. The last thing he wanted was to lose it like that and break loose, especially in front of those who he hid this side from for so long.

"We need to find out what the hell these guys want from the Crystal Falls, you got that?" Gajeel questioned, earning a perplexed reaction from everyone as they stared at him perplexed. They acknowledged what he said as they tried to prepare themselves for such, just as Gajeel stared out in front of him, looking to the Crystal Falls as he thought over what had just happened. Gajeel walked to the edge of the ship and stared out, the thoughts funneling through his mind. He didn't like showing that side of himself to people like Sophia and Daniel, especially in the way it was shown. It just wasn't right; they didn't need to know of how much of a monster he was. Kyousuke approached him, knowing him being upset about it.

"Can you tell me why?" Kyousuke questioned. Gajeel was quiet at first, unwilling to respond. However, he soon sighed and gave him an answer.

"This damn empire wants to get their hands on it. If they get it, they'll destroy everything, you know that." He explained, Kyousuke listening as he went on. "None of them could've been able to handle its power, and I know you could only use it so much. I was the only one who could use it to its fullest extent, and so I ate it." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke started at him after he heard that, sifting the emotions he felt as he felt a mixture of sadness, worry, and fear. He knew that by eating the cloak, Gajeel made himself a prime target for the empire, and it made Kyousuke worry even more. The last thing he needed was to have the one who was closest to him put their self in the most potent position for harm. Gajeel suddenly clenched his fist out of regret, having revealed a side of himself to Sophia and Daniel that he didn't want them to see. "Why the hell did they have to see all that though? They shouldn't have seen it, and neither should've you. What am I supposed to do when those I want to protect see me as a monster?" Gajeel explained to Kyousuke, looking down as he thought over it. He's already dealt with the pain of being labeled as an outcast and being brutalized for it; he didn't need the same from those he led and called his teammates. Kyousuke looked at him, knowing what he meant and how he felt, and knowing that, gave him an honest response.

"Well, I'm glad I saw this side of you." He stated, shocking Gajeel as the latter looked at him in disbelief. Kyousuke looked at the Crystal Falls himself, the feeling of the scene calm yet blissful in some manner. He felt opened up to the world itself. "You know everything, you know it all! I always talked with you because you could understand what I went through, and seeing this side of you only confirms your experience. On top of it all, you were willing to do everything you've done for me, someone who no one else really cared about." Kyousuke explained. He himself was starting to get emotional over it, tears of joy one could say. The blissful feeling of knowing that he really does understand him made him feel more joy than he could ever experience. Tears fell down his cheeks during his moment of eternal bliss. "It's why you mean everything to me." Kyousuke stated staring as Gajeel with a smile coated in tears. Gajeel, looking at him with the same expression, pulled him in tightly and hugged him. Holding his head and his back, he pulled him into his chest, soothing him and comforting him while at it. It was so blissful that even the Iron Dragon Slayer couldn't help but forge a tear that poured down his face, following with a grin that gave light to how happy he truly felt on the inside. Even Gajeel himself was crying tears of joy.

"You do know, don't you?" He questioned calmly, knowing that he did. "Crazy, ain't it, how I feel the same about you?"


	18. Chapter 18: The Crystal Falls

**A/N: It's been a while since I managed to write up a chapter for this story. Honestly, I worked on this story so much this summer that it just was ridiculous; I even impressed myself. However, school came back into play within my life and I had to deal with that amongst other things, so my ability to write these chapters quickly was delayed. I will keep writing chapters for this story, but they will probably not be put out as quickly as they were this summer, and it will probably be a while between updates for chapters. This is just a heads up to let you know that I'm not done with the story, but I will be working on it at a slower pace.**

 **Aside from that, if you haven't already, vote for your favorite Stealth Overdrive member on my profile page! Otherwise, enjoy this chapter! Have a nice day ;)**

Chapter 18: The Crystal Falls

They finally arrived at the Crystal Falls. It was the one place Sophia feared coming back to, and it was the place the group had to investigate in order to find out why the empire's interest would be here when it comes to further their plans, as it was assumed. Luckily, Pantherlily managed to control the ship so that it would autopilot its way to the Crystal Falls, immediately putting itself into a lock-down state after landing in order to prevent the rest of the crew that worked for the empire from using it. That was advantageous for them, but easily forgotten when they came across the crystal falls. Gajeel managed to help Pantherlily into the falls by supporting him as he walked through, the latter still having to deal with the sword-thrust that Midnight dealt onto him out of anger.

"I didn't think I would survive that one, Midnight managed to inflict a lot of damage from that attack." Pantherlily explained, having to take a seat as they entered the Crystal Falls. Gajeel helped him out, helping him sit down on the ground as Pantherlily lied back a bit and relaxed. Gajeel put a hand on Pantherlily's shoulder as a nice gesture.

"I knew you weren't gonna die; I know that my cat's stronger than that." Gajeel explained with a grin on his face. This prompted contemplation from Daniel and Kyousuke in response.

"He says that, after losing his shit over what happened." Daniel quietly told Kyousuke, who agreed with him.

"I get why he would be angry, but no, he was definitely afraid of losing him. He's just trying to keep up his grand-leader profile."

"Are you making fun of me?" Gajeel questioned in a threatening tone, popping his knuckles as he shot them a dark glare, prompting the two to keep their cool and play it off.

"No way! Why would we do that?" Daniel questioned, flailing his hands as Gajeel stared at him. He knew he was lying but he let it slide. Kyousuke, however, was another story.

"Gajeel," Kyousuke said, walking up to him, "that's not something I can do to you. However, I can tell when you're lying about your feelings." Kyousuke pointed-out deviously. Gajeel stared him directly in the eyes as he sifted through what Kyousuke said, only to cross his arms soon after and look away frustrated.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Gajeel….everyone saw how you reacted." Kyousuke pointed out, prompting Gajeel to realize he was right. He looked at Kyousuke with widened eyes, fitting with an expression mixed with puzzlement and frustration. It wasn't long before he let it go though.

"Alright, fine, I didn't know if he was gonna make it or not. Happy now?!" Gajeel explained as Kyousuke smirked in response.

"Sure, that's better." Kyousuke teased, earning himself a punch in the arm in response. Focusing back on the Crystal Falls, their attention was soon captivated by the phenomenal presence they soon came across.

"I can't believe it." Sophia said in shock, staring in awe at the falls once again. They looked exactly the same to her, if not more beautiful than she remembered. The whole group, in fact, fell into awe when staring at the falls. The falls themselves were made out of large amounts of rock that resembled cliff-sides, so perfectly shaped to reality as to create an awe-inspiring scene. The water that fell from the falls sparkled within the air, and the mist created from the waterfalls covered the area in a translucent, white blanket that made it come to life. Ironically enough, Sophia was the first to take off, running to one of the waterfalls as they surrounded the area. The waterfalls lived up to their name, for the water that fell shined like a crystal in midst of the sunlight. Running up to one of the waterfalls, she ran her hand through the falling water as it ran through her fingers, coating them in the soothing liquid as the same feeling she had once before surfaced once again. "It's just like before; the water itself soothes the senses and enlightens the self. When you feel it, you feel as if you've grown stronger and wiser. It's like some sort of healing agent." Sophia explained. Daniel came up to her and gave her a cunning look, pondering over her description.

"So are you saying that it makes you feel old?"

"Shut up! You always do this." Sophia spat as Daniel laughed in response. Juvia soon followed, feeling the water itself that was in the pool of the fall and feeling its beauty. It was within seconds that she too could feel the same energy.

"Wow...you're right." Juvia said in surprise, going into the water and walking in it as Sophia looked at her in surprise. It wasn't long before Juvia immersed herself within the water and swam around for a bit, the group watching her as she surfaced after a minute of swimming. "This is amazing! I've never had such a blissful experience in my life! You have to try this!" She shouted joyfully, continuing to swim as Sophia watched her happily, glad that she was enjoying it there. Shockingly enough, Sophia wasn't paralyzed in fear as she was before, and there must've been an explanation for that. She wouldn't just stop for no reason that's for sure. Daniel wasn't so sure about it at first.

"Well, I'm not too interested in feeling old, you know? I'd like to keep my young flair while I can…" He explained until Sophia suddenly tripped him into the water. Bursting out into laughter, she watched as Daniel swam back to the surface, angrily spouting off over it. "Hey! What the hell was that for?!"

"Feeling old yet?" Sophia questioned, laughing as Daniel stopped and realized what she meant. It wasn't like he thought. "Actually, no. In fact, I feel...energized. It's already making me feel a bit uncomfortable." Daniel said, continuing to swim in it as Sophia looked at him perplexed, surprised by his reaction and having expected some sort of sarcastic remark. Pantherlily was willing to give it a go, to at least see what they were catching onto, but Gajeel wasn't very interested.

"There's no way I'm getting in the water." Gajeel spat whilst crossing his arms, provoking Kyousuke while at it.

"What?! Why is that?"

"I ain't getting my iron rusty." Gajeel said with a serious expression, looking down whilst keeping his eyes closed, stubbornly trying to stick to his decision. Kyousuke, however, knew how to break that off. Sophia watched with ever growing interest, wanting to see what would happen yet also being surprised about Gajeel's decision.

"You don't know what you're missing! Come on, just give it a go!" Sophia persuaded to no avail.

"I already said I'm not getting in."

"I can change that." Kyousuke stated, looking at Gajeel deviously as if he could make him get in. Ironically enough, Gajeel grinned in response, proceeding to push Kyousuke into the water as the electric dragon slayer fell in, prompting Gajeel to chuckle as a response.

"Too late, I already changed it for you." Gajeel said in response, only to be surprised as Kyousuke used his beam to grab Gajeel, pulling him into the water with him as he too helplessly fell in. Seeing that made Sophia laugh, seeing the two laughing themselves as Gajeel tackled Kyousuke and wrestled with him in the water. Sophia felt so alive by being back here again, and it was strange to her. It was strange enough knowing that she wasn't on the very edge of having some sort of mental breakdown.

" _I was so afraid of coming to this place, and I know why. However, I must admit that it's not the place itself that is evil."_ Sophia thought to herself, proceeding to take off her jacket and jump into the water herself. Eventually that's what it resorted to, everyone eventually getting into the water and basking in it as they just had fun. It was strange considering all the pain and horror they went through in order to get to this place, but it's as if this place is healing their inner wounds, making them feel better as a result. "This place is supposed to be one of divinity." Sophia explained to herself, expecting no one to listen. Pantherlily, however, sat next to her in the water itself, listening calmly.

"Why is that?" He questioned, surprising her as she went on without a care.

"It is pure bliss; happiness at the touch of a finger. Everything here in its physical form is beautiful; that's why it has the name it has been given. Crystal Falls, what doesn't sound beautiful about that?" Sophia explained as Pantherlily took it all in. He looked at her surprised, proceeding to question her on it.

"If that's the case, why is there no one here?"

"It's a long story. The falls just exist out here; it's not like a theme park or something. A lot of people just seem to have a lot of trouble trying to find this place. Because of that, rarely, if ever, does anyone actually make it here. Well, at least that's one reason why no one comes here." Sophia explained. She calmed down a lot after revealing that information, shocking Pantherlily as he looked at her in bewilderment.

"So this is really your birthplace?" He questioned, as Sophia nodded slightly, mixed with a lack of assurance.

"Well, I grew up here, but technically it's not my birthplace. I was orphaned as a child, so I really don't know where I was actually born." She explained calmly. There was something painful that happened there that made her so hesitant to return, but it wasn't because of the place itself. "Regardless, I don't hate the place; I hate what happened in it. I guess...hearing the place brought those horrible memories back up, and so I didn't want to think of it. Everything bad that happened here must've warped my perception of the place." Sophia explained. Pantherlily understood where she was coming from, sifting through it all as he pieced his thoughts together and such. Sophia then jumped back into the water herself, swimming along as Pantherlily watched her, turning his attention to the two dragon slayers who were in the water as well.

They kept wrestling with each other in the water, feeling the energizing effects of it as well. At one point they fell into the water and let themselves sink in, Kyousuke being on top looking down. His eyes widened in awe as he saw the powerful presence that floated before him. It wasn't just Gajeel falling down in the water with a grin on his face, but it was the way he was falling through the water with that expression on his face. His hair was flowing throughout the water as it spread about and shined, seamlessly flowing as it was coupled with an expression that invoked so much emotion with one look. Kyousuke couldn't help but become captivated by the experience itself, having become so drawn into him as he fell through the water onto him, surprising Gajeel as he stared at him in surprise. Kyousuke literally got lost in it all, forgetting about everything else as he fell onto Gajeel, who proceeded to pull him up and out of the water. He held him up as Kyousuke just stared at him, coming back to reality and looking at him surprised.

"What the hell were you doing down there? Do that in a real fight and you're gonna get your ass kicked." Gajeel explained in question, watching Kyousuke as the latter kept staring. Suddenly, he started blushing, having realized what he was doing as Gajeel's expression turned to that of surprise.

"I...uh...I just...got caught up in my thoughts." Kyousuke said, blushing still as Gajeel watched him. He set Kyousuke down and looked at him with a smirk on his face, knowing what really happened.

"Whatever, you can't hide it from me. I know that you got caught up staring at me." Gajeel explained with a suave tone, shocking Kyousuke as the latter sighed in disbelief.

"Yeah, alright, you got me." Kyousuke said in response. Gajeel just pat him on the head in response, looking at him with a grin on his face as he decided to twist his feelings. Out of nowhere, Gajeel decides to start showing himself off, first starting with flexing his muscles in order to see Kyousuke's reaction. He was testing him, in a way. In doing so, Kyousuke started blushing instantly, trying to resist the temptation as Sophia turned and saw Gajeel showing off, sitting next to Daniel as he was stretching next to her.

"OH MY GOD, HE'S FLIRTING!" Sophia screamed in massive joy, kicking Daniel back into the water out of excitement. She drew the attention of Pantherlily and Juvia as she flailed her arms in excitement, seeing Gajeel as they both looked at him in bewilderment.

"I hope that the mission at hand hasn't eluded you Gajeel." Pantherlily stated, annoying him somewhat as he kept a flexed arm up.

"Relax, will ya? I'm just having some fun."

"That's not what I mean." Pantherlily stated once again. Then they realized what he was saying; it would be awkward enough to be caught "flirting" with one another as their enemies just swoop in and try to eliminate them. Regardless, he continued doing it anyway, prompting Pantherlily to sigh and watch as Juvia started freaking out on her own, distracting Pantherlily and already being caught in another world. She started sulking while at it too, complaining about why she couldn't be in the presence of her "darling Gray". Sophia saw Kyousuke just standing there doing nothing as he showed off, prompting her to question him.

"Come on Kyousuke, you don't need to hide it. I already told everyone about it."

"WHAT?!" Kyousuke shouted in complete horror. If one were to think about it, it was inevitable that this news would get across, but Kyousuke refused to believe it. Gajeel knew it too, but he didn't care.

* * *

In fact, he remembered seeing Sophia running around and going off about it to everyone in the crew. He went to Daniel first, who was sitting on the couch in the main area watching TV.

"Hey Daniel! Gajeel is dating Kyousuke!" Sophia shouted at him, prompting him to spit out his cereal in complete astonishment.

"What?! You don't mean that they're in an intimate relationship, do you?!"

"That's exactly what I mean! I knew it all along; Kyousuke really loved Gajeel and never could bring himself to tell the truth! At first Gajeel was conflicted but then he went for Kyousuke and now the two are together!" Sophia explained joyously, running off as Daniel looked at her in complete shock.

"I can't believe it; I would've never thought he would be interested in him like that."

"I know!"

"Well, you're still single."

"SHUT UP!" Sophia angrily yelled as she ran off to Pantherlily. Running down to his room, she managed to run across him as Juvia was seen with him. Regardless of her being there, Sophia decided to tell them anyway.

"Did you know? Gajeel is now dating Kyousuke!" She explained vigorously, prompting Juvia to panic as Pantherlily looked at her in surprise.

"NO WAY!" Juvia screamed, standing in shock as Pantherlily took off, leaving Sophia puzzled. He couldn't believe her; he needed to hear it for himself. Running up and through the place, he managed to run across Gajeel. The latter stood there in confusion as Pantherlily stopped in his tracks and asked the question desperately.

"Gajeel, is it true?! Are you really dating Kyousuke as Sophia says?!" Pantherlily questioned in shock. Gajeel looked at him calmly, gaining a slightly irritated expression on his face by his demeanor.

"Yeah, so what? What's your deal?"

"I..I thought...wait...what? So, it's true then?"

"Yeah, I said it's true. When I went outside to check on him at the restaurant, he told me that he was falling for me." Gajeel explained calmly. Pantherlily was shocked, not disappointed or anything negative, but simply shocked. He stared at Gajeel surprise, having not expected that.

"So...you like him in the same way?" Pantherlily questioned, prompting Gajeel to responding in a frustrated manner.

"Do you really have to ask?"

"I see." Pantherlily understood, knowing that Gajeel did feel the same. Pantherlily didn't know what else to say, and so he simply took off as Gajeel looked at him perplexed. Of course Pantherlily wasn't upset by any means; he was just surprised, especially since he hadn't been paying much attention to Kyousuke and Gajeel's relationship in the first place.

* * *

Back to the Crystal Falls, Gajeel grabbed Kyousuke, pulling him from his moment of shock and putting a shoulder around him, pulling him close as he started to tease him. Sophia couldn't help but smile a bit, realizing that he's not as angry as he used to be anymore and is now letting loose more often in the group. Confiding in Kyousuke has helped him out a lot, and it's soothing a lot of his troubles. As she watched them have a moment, Sophia suddenly remembered something quite shocking about her past, prompting her to get up and run through the falls in order to find it. Pantherlily, overseeing her take off after such, got up and followed her in response. Everyone else was too distracted to notice, so those two took off. As she ran throughout the falls, she soon came across a special entrance that was in the falls, prompting her to walk through as she came across a familiar sight.

"Here it is." Sophia said to herself in shock, unaware of Pantherlily having followed her. Walking through, she saw everything that reminded her of a horrific moment in her past, something she wanted to desperately avoid. It was a giant room with an altar in the middle. All the walls had past traces of destruction embedded in them with the cracks they contained, and the area itself looked beat up as if something drastic took place inside. However, she knew that she couldn't run away from it forever, and perhaps that's what has caused her to take off and search for it herself. She realized what the empire was after, and she knew why. Without any further ado, Sophia started running through the area, searching for the item herself as Pantherlily watched and followed in wonder, concerned about what she could possibly be doing here of all places.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Pantherlily questioned, watching Sophia frantically search through all the rooms for what she was looking for. She wasn't bothered by his being there; in fact, she wasn't even entirely focused at all, for she was rampantly searching for the item.

"The dagger and cloak are the puzzle pieces, the iris is the core and the clock towards agony is the final piece." She mumbled as she searched for this "iris". Pantherlily, having overheard her, stood there in confusion as she was searching for this unknown object. He needed answers from her, watching as she was throwing stuff about in her quest to find this item.

"The 'iris'? Sophia, you need to tell me what this is." Pantherlily told her calmly, earning no direct response as she continued. Throwing things behind her, opening drawers and forgetting to close them, and breaking down doors in her wake, she continued to search for this "iris" that seemed so important to her.

"The Iris is the core, the Iris is the core, and it is their most needed item in order to complete the purification process. I must find it at all costs." Sophia continued to mumble as she kept searching. Her voice became increasingly monotone and robotic as she continued searching for it, prompting Pantherlily to take action by grabbing her shoulders and snapping her out of her trance.

"What are you doing? You need to snap out of it Sophia!" He shouted as he shook her, prompting her to suddenly shake her head and look at him in surprise. Realizing what she did, she took a step away from Pantherlily as he watched her in concern, just as she looked down at the ground and thought deeply into the subject.

"It's affecting me again." She said calmly, realizing what happened. Pantherlily looked at her perplexed.

"What's affecting you here?"

"The iris. It's here, and it links back to my past." Sophia explained. It wasn't long before the other four came in with them, seeing them in there and letting out sighs of relief.

"Why did you just take off? We were searching for you and we couldn't find you right away." Daniel questioned in concern as Sophia looked at him calmly. She wasn't as exuberant as before.

"It's this place. It still is affecting me like before. Nothing has really changed here, has it?" Sophia stated calmly. Gajeel, having been a potential part of her past, knew exactly what she was talking about, watching as she went on to explain. "You're bound to find out about it one way or another, so I better start telling you about my past here and now. This is about where I came from and how I came to be a member of the Stealth Overdrive force." She said calmly.

* * *

It was nearly two years ago when she was a part of the civilization that lived amongst the Crystal Falls. This was her home, where she came to existence and where she resided for the majority of her life. Unlike most individuals however, she was orphaned like Gajeel and Kyousuke, and she didn't have parents. Of course, there were people that she grew up with that raised her, but she didn't have any biological ties to them whatsoever. On top of that, she had innate magical abilities that she didn't fully realize until she was much older, and that was directly linked to the incident that took place. The group of people that she stayed with praised the Iris like some sort of God-given object that allowed them to understand the meaning of life in itself, allowing them to see into the future, allowing them to heal their kind, and etc. Sophia, however, was a potential issue regarding the Iris. Because of her magical abilities, they somehow managed to overtime adapt to the power of the Iris, which allowed for the Iris to manipulate her and expand upon her use of power. It didn't have a mind of its own, but it did tell of terrible future events that could take place. It also managed to cause chaos and indirectly control certain magic wielders for reasons unknown. This is precisely the issue that took place during her departure of the Crystal Falls.

Inside of the same room the group was currently stuck in, she was being worshipped and put up as their next potential leader. Sophia in that civilization had demonstrated potential leadership skills and was being praised as the next leader for the people. Everyone was on their knees praying to the Iris and wishing for her to have a powerful, peaceful reign during her leadership. They thought that she would lead them to salvation, and by respecting her wishes they will be able to fulfill their true destiny. At one point during the ritual, Sophia was asked to see into the Iris and inform the group of what it foretold. This was vital in order to take them to their salvation, as they saw it.

"I will be glad to." She accepted calmly. She was wearing a lavender dress, being barefoot and looking beautiful, yet helpless at that. It's like that beautiful woman, light as a daisy, yet somehow so fragile that she could be handed over like some sort of doll. Her tone and attitude was reminiscent of a god as the people saw it, being so graceful and uplifting. It was majestic, and her voice was so calming that it was no wonder the people saw this in her.

At that moment, she closed her eyes and focused in on the power of the Iris. She could see into it and be able to tell what it was saying, which made her a prime candidate for this position. Looking into the Iris, she asked for its message.

"Oh great and powerful Iris, the messenger sent from the heavens, I ask you to please relieve what you have to say." She requests calmly. For a while, she stood there and had no immediate response, prompting her to wonder what was going on. " _Was my request received?"_ She thought to herself in question, still receiving no response. Continuing on, she tried again. "Oh great and powerful Iris, the messenger sent from the heavens, I ask you to please relieve what you have to say." She requests yet again. As surprising as it was, still no response. It was strange, because in the past it was never like this, and she could easily get a response if she needed to, but for some strange reason she couldn't get one at this time. It prompted her to go ahead and question it yet one more time, only for it to suddenly come in and give her the answer, something that she didn't want.

"THIS IS THE END!" It shouted, inflicting much shock within Sophia.

"What?!"

"EVERYONE YOU KNOW WILL BE ERASED! A NEW WORLD SHALL BE PASSED FOR THE NEXT AGE!" It told her with a powerful, dominating voice. As highly regarded as the Iris was, Sophia didn't want to believe it.

"No, no no no, it can't be true! I won't allow it!" She told it, which caused her downfall. Suddenly, standing atop the pedestal, she started to glow bright lavender, prompting everyone to stare at her in shock as she started levitating. One of the followers shouted out at her, only furthering the disaster that was about to be commenced.

"She's a demon! She's going to destroy us!" They yelled out in a panic, only for this to be "confirmed" when she started firing off crystalline blasts all over the area. Destroying things, killing people, and causing massive damage and destruction in her wake, she suddenly couldn't stop firing off as people ran for their lives. It was complete chaos, everyone was screaming, Sophia lost control of herself, and everything was being destroyed. Soon after, she suddenly stopped, helplessly falling back to the ground and returning to normal as everyone was in a panic. After getting up from her fall, she soon she saw everything that happened, unable to explain it. The only thing she could do was stand there in complete shock.

"What in the world...what happened?! Who did this?!" She demanded, unable to understand. It wasn't long before the civilians turned against her, putting her in great shock.

"The demon is vulnerable! Kill it now!" One of the civilians screamed, pointing at Sophia as she looked back at them in shock.

"WHAT?! I'm not a demon, I swear! How could I have done this?!" She shouted in horror. It didn't stop everyone from going against her though, and they all charged for her, ready to take her life as she started running. It was the most disturbing thing she had ever heard, and as far as she was concerned, there was no hope of convincing them otherwise. They were too attached to their beliefs and ideals to be able to possibly give her a second chance. " _Why do they want to kill me?! I don't know what I did! I have to get away!"_ She thought to herself in a panic, running off as everyone chased her. Nothing mattered to her anymore except her life, just as she ran through groups of people and knocked them down in order to get away. She felt terribly sorry for having to do that to them, but she didn't know what else to do, so she ran.

"Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!" The people chanted, drawing swords and firing off arrows as she ran for her life. It was already dusk and she was going to be killed. She looked back, watching as arrows were shot at her, knives were thrown, swords were drawn and ready to strike, spears were thrown, and etc. Soon she turned around and put her hands out, trying to shield herself from the people as they prepared to attack. At that instant, the people were trapped in crystals, becoming crystallized and frozen as the people gasped in shock and horror. Sophia couldn't even dare think about what she had just done, putting her hands on her mouth in horror as all the destruction that had taken place from the altar had came rushing back to her.

"No...no...I couldn't have! I did this to them?! I can't even control it! What is happening to me?! Everyone I cared about is dead, and if they're not they hate me!" She screamed in horror, unable to process it as she continued running. Everyone continued to chase her down regardless, forcing themselves to catch her at all costs as she ran for her life. It eventually came to a stop when Sophia came across a large, rock wall and couldn't go any further, turning behind her and witnessing a horrific sight. "NOOOOO! STOP!" She screamed out in pure terror as the home she was raised in was blown apart. It exploded due to cannons and bombs being fired at it, and everyone that raised her and helped her was killed in order to erase every trace of the demon, as they saw fit. It was utter chaos, and the public outrage they had would eventually lead to their own demise. She couldn't help but start crying out in horror as it all took place, completely disregarding everything happening around her as she stood up in tears, doing nothing but crying over the severe amount of pain she was going through. It wasn't long before a group of individuals caught up to Sophia, kicking her into the wall as she flew and hit it, falling to the ground helplessly as she held her stomach in pain, looking back up at the three people from the ground with a bruise on her head. They all had evil, sadistic smiles on their faces, ready to eradicate and eliminate her.

"We shall kill the demon spawn and save our town!" They all shouted at once, pulling back their swords and preparing to deal the blow as she guarded herself against them with her arms. She couldn't do anything but sit there as they were about to kill her, preparing to deal the final strike and rid the falls of her once and for all. At that point she gave up on trying to save herself, believing that she really is the cause of all this madness.

" _Goodbye everyone."_ She said to herself sorely, knowing her end and accepting it. Within seconds, she heard screams from the people about to kill her off, opening her eyes and seeing a grand sight before her. It was the man that she now calls her leader. An Iron Dragon Slayer stood before her, having taken them all out with his Iron Dragon's Sword as he stood there amidst the destruction, shielding her from everyone as he turned to her to see if she was alright.

"You need to watch yourself; you were about to be slaughtered kid. What the hell is going on here?!" He questioned in concern as she looked at him with a sad look. His being there put her into great surprise, but it didn't change her attitude regarding her current situation. She was upset, and even though she was thankful that she was saved, she felt like she didn't deserve it.

"This is my fault." She told him, shocking Gajeel as he looked at her in disbelief.

"What?!" He questioned in confusion, looking at her with a very serious look. All she did was sit there and sulk over the disaster she believed to have caused.

"I have crystal powers that I can't control. The people have already died because of me, and now they want to kill me off and save themselves." She explained to Gajeel. While he was in shock over it, he wasn't going to let it end like this.

"Come with me! I can get you out of here!" Gajeel told her, holding out a hand to her as she sat there and looked at him in shock. As much as she wanted to grab it, have him save her and pull her out of this mess, she felt like she didn't deserve it.

"No, I don't deserve it."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Gajeel questioned in bafflement, prompting her to explain.

"It's like I said, I killed their people, and now they want me. You should get out of here and let them kill me off." She said in horror. The fact that the people who took care of her and raised her being dead hit her so hard, she felt like she really was the true cause of it and was willing to accept her punishment. Gajeel, however, couldn't take no for an answer. Regardless of what Sophia wanted he grabbed her and held her up, preparing to take off and leave everyone else in the falls to die off and end themselves.

"You're coming with me whether you like it or not. If you think you deserve this, you need a reality check." Gajeel told her as she looked at him in shock, taking out a pistol and taking off, leaving the falls. Everyone eventually died off in the fight, killing each other in a rampage of chaos in their search for her. Because they weren't able to find her, they took each other out in order to "stop the demon from spreading".

Gajeel, however, got out of the falls and took her a great distance away from them before setting her back down on the ground, helping her stand up and get her walking again. She looked at him in shock, wondering why he was willing to save her from it all. He holstered his pistol as she went to ask him the question.

"Why did you save me?" She questioned calmly, looking at him as he looked off and afar. There was something about him that intrigued her; his mysterious, powerful presence and how he seemed so grand. He seemed like the father that she never had. He was like that one person who could actually set her straight and put her on the right path. Gajeel looked back at her with a powerful expression, his eyes taking complete control of her as she was helpless to his gaze and his powerful, invoking response.

"I wasn't going to let them kill you off like that. I saw what happened; you don't deserve that kind of bull crap." Gajeel explained calmly, surprising her. She went on to question him regardless.

"But they are dead because of me! This wouldn't have happened if I wasn't there."

"Do you really believe that?" Gajeel questioned, causing her to stop for a moment. She was stumped by that response, unsure of how to respond to it until she remembered her powers.

"I can't even control my powers! They died because of these crystal powers I can't control! What if I killed you because of my lack of control over my powers?" Sophia argued, unwilling to accept it as Gajeel chuckled in response. This puzzled Sophia even more as he started laughing at the last bit of her sentence, that is, before a serious expression took over and he put up a sadistic grin on his face to bring her to reality.

"I'm an Iron Dragon Slayer and I know it; you've got no clue what the hell you are." Gajeel said to her darkly as he employed his Iron Dragon Scales, prompting Sophia to widen her eyes in disbelief as she was inflicted with bewilderment, staring at Gajeel in awe. As much as she wanted to argue against it, she knew that he was right regardless. She was raised in a world with rose-tinted glasses, and Gajeel was replacing those with 20/20 vision. There was so much to her that she had no idea of, and she knew that Gajeel knew that very well. He soon lost his grin and put up a very serious face, one that looked almost angry if one were to think about it, retracting his scales soon after. "I can handle it. You can come with me, because I'll take you in and I'll teach you how to control it; I'll teach you what magic really is. Be sensible; don't go running off trying to kill yourself." Gajeel said with a serious tone. He held out a hand to her to see if she was going to follow him or not. She looked at him in awe, staring at him as he held out that hand with a powerful, beckoning look on his face. His body language and facial expressions conveyed it all, he was serious about this. Sophia thought about it to herself.

" _He's right. It's not going to do me any good if I go running off. Besides, he saved me, right? I should return the favor and do as he asks."_ Sophia thought to herself calmly. She closed her eyes and thought through it, suddenly opening them again and shaking Gajeel's hand as a response. He saved her life, and now she felt that she was in his debt. The only way to repay him is to do as he asks, and even though he didn't see it that way, she did. Upon agreeing, Gajeel gave her a grin and was happy about her choice, ready to take off.

"Let's get going, you have a lot to learn." Gajeel told her, taking off as she followed. As he did, she just stood there, looking at him in shock as he prepared to take off. Soon enough, he realized that she wasn't following him, turning back to see what was up with her. "Are you coming or what?" He questioned calmly. At that moment, Sophia ran up to him and ran into his arms, hugging him as he looked down at her in shock. It was within that moment that she burst into tears, completely shocked over what had happened during that situation and how Gajeel was willing to save her despite how she felt. She was more than thankful, and Gajeel couldn't help but hug her back in order to show that she truly wasn't alone in this situation. That was the past of Sophia Carrol, and that's why she was afraid of coming back. It's also why she is still affected by the Iris within the room with the altar. The real question is: What is it going to do to her now?


	19. Chapter 19: It's My Fault

Chapter 19: It's My Fault

Sophia had revealed her past to the group, leaving everyone but Gajeel in complete shock. Having went through all of that, it was no wonder she didn't want to come back to this horrific place. However, the most shocking thing about her past was the very cause of it.

"All of that happened in your past, and you didn't tell us?!" Daniel questioned in shock, prompting Sophia to go on the defensive. "I was traumatized by that incident, what else was I supposed to do?!" Sophia stated defensively as Daniel kept his cool, understanding. Kyousuke, however, knew that there was more to it than her past, and was able to pick up on that right away.

"But if you were being manipulated by the Iris, then it must still be here." Kyousuke concluded. Daniel looked at him in surprise, being more inclined to not believe it.

"Well, her people tried taking each other out, so it must've resulted in the iris being destroyed, right?"

"Not even close." Gajeel countered, going onto explain the situation and prove Kyousuke's point. "The civilization saw the Iris as god-like and would do anything to preserve it. That's why they eliminated each other, in order to rid themselves of the 'demon' and cleanse their nature. The empire wanted to get their hands on the Iris, which is why they were heading here in the first place." Gajeel explained, confirming it all and invoking much shock into the group. Within that moment, Sophia suddenly started levitating. The same lavender glow she had in her past came back again, levitating her and mindlessly using her body as a vessel for its plans. "However, it's not going to let us take it. We're going to have to fight it off before we can get to it." Gajeel informed, watching as Sophia put her focus on the group and prepared to fire off a blast of energy. The Iris was controlling her once again, and they were going to have to either stop her now and get the iris, or get it and use it to stop her. Kyousuke and Daniel dodged the blast, watching as it hit the ground and left noticeable damage. Gajeel ordered the rest of the group to split up, prompting Daniel, Juvia, and Pantherlily to focus on Sophia as Gajeel had Kyousuke come with him for a certain reason. There was something about the Iris that made him choose Kyousuke specifically for it.

"Why do you need me for the Iris?" Kyousuke questioned Gajeel as he followed him around the room. Sophia, being controlled by the Iris, tried to fire off at Gajeel and Kyousuke, preventing them from getting to the object as the other three tried to distract her. Pantherlily had quite the advantage thanks to his Musica sword and its large size, but that didn't stop Sophia from trying to crystalize it. As they ran, Gajeel stopped Kyousuke and got his attention to tell him why he needed him.

"Sophia told me where the thing was in the room before we got here. With her being controlled by the Iris, we aren't going to have a chance of getting into that area unless we both get there using our speed." Gajeel explained. Kyousuke looked at him in surprise as he pulled out his beam. What he did next was unexplainable; he took a bite out of it and chewed on it before swallowing it, leaving Kyousuke in complete shock.

"What the hell are you doing?! Why did you just eat that?" Kyousuke shouted in bafflement as Gajeel started to glow a bright green. Kyousuke looked at him speechless, unable to respond as Gajeel stuffed the rest of his beam away and focused on Kyousuke, telling him to do the same.

"Take a bite out of that beam."

"Are you kidding, I'm not eating that!" Kyousuke replied, only increasing his frustration as he become even more serious.

"Does it look like I'm joking around right now?! It's just an Ethernano stick; eat the damn thing so we can get this crap over with!"

"Okay, okay, I'm eating it." Kyousuke said regretfully, going on and taking a bite out of the beam. It tasted absolutely horrible, prompting Kyousuke to show slight signs of disgust as he forcefully ate it. However, the effects it granted were enough to make up for the terrible taste. Without having to wait long, Kyousuke too started glowing like Gajeel, except he was glowing blue. Upon seeing this, Gajeel went ahead and grabbed Kyousuke by the arms, suddenly taking him and spinning in a circle as the two rapidly gained momentum. Kyousuke didn't know what was going on entirely, but knowing that Gajeel was the one behind it, he just went with it. It wasn't long before the two were spinning so fast that they turned into two masses of light, blue and green, turning into a light drill as they spun around the room and went straight for the center of the altar in the room. Sophia, overlooking and seeing the two and their attempts to break in, became frustrated and angry, knowing that she was on the losing side.

"This isn't supposed to happen! That area is supposed to be tightly bound by the material used, aggh!" She bickered in a darker, more demonic voice. It was the Iris speaking through her, trying to protect itself against invaders such as Gajeel and Kyousuke. Luckily for them, the two managed to invade the inside. Getting inside and seeing the Iris, the two landed and came into contact with it.

"There it is!" Kyousuke shouted, pointing to it as the two ran for it. It was a circular object that was gray, containing some sort of powerful shard on the inside as it levitated above the ground, shining out a bright red light as it floated. As the two went for it, the situation suddenly became very difficult to maneuver through. The Iris reacted and attacked the two, instantly grabbing ahold of both of them with a defensive mechanism implanted by binding both Kyousuke and Gajeel up against the walls, both facing each other while being restrained. "No!" Kyousuke shouted out in frustration, reaching out for it as Gajeel did the same. It only became more difficult having been bound by their arms and legs, only for the mechanism to slowly go for their throats and prepared to eliminate them through those means. Pantherlily managed to see the two inside the altar, having made it on top and seeing their struggle as they tried to break free, their lives being put closer and closer to the stakes.

"Gajeel! Kyousuke! What the hell happened?!" Pantherlily yelled out in shock as Gajeel tried breaking free, being unable to as the mechanism tightened its grip on the two of them.

"It's the internal defensive mechanism! It's got us trapped!" Gajeel explained to him as he struggled. Pantherlily looked at them in shock, trying to find out how to help them. However, Sophia soon attacked him and hit him in the back, sending him flying off as she put her focus on him. There wasn't going to be a way for him to help them if she kept on pressing against them. In one moment of frustration, Sophia suddenly pulled her arms in and clenched her fists, suddenly shaking due to a buildup of pressure before releasing it all. By extending her arms outward, she fired off multiple energy blasts that scattered amongst the ground like raindrops, prompting everyone to run out of the way so they don't get hit. Juvia managed to shield her and Daniel by creating a shield of water around them that rendered the attacks useless.

"She's much stronger now than I thought. Unfortunately, I won't be impervious to her energy blasts, so I'll have to figure out another way to stop her." Juvia thought aloud, thinking about what she should try next. Pantherlily went to attack her again using his Musica sword, but Sophia managed to grab ahold of it with ease and throw it over her head, taking Pantherlily with her as she tossed him onto the ground. Luckily, he was able to land on his feet and slide back only a bit, but his wound from earlier wasn't helping.

" _That attack from earlier really did me a number. Having to fight Sophia while like this isn't going to be easy."_ He thought to himself in frustration. Regardless, he pushed against it and went on to fight Sophia in spite of his condition. Stopping her was his main priority, and if it meant having to deal with the pain of his previous wound, then so be it.

On top of that, Gajeel and Kyousuke were in quite the rut, and as far as they were concerned, there were being pulled away from their goal with each passing second. Kyousuke tried reaching out to get it, about to transform into a bolt of electricity to get it. However, he was hurt as a result of doing so, the spell backfiring and attacking him as the thing bound him to the wall even tighter, having revealed him getting slightly out of the trap.

"Ah crap, that's not going to work very well." Kyousuke said in frustration, looking at it as the trap started changing once again. It was going to pull them in and trap the both of them. Gajeel, knowing of Kyousuke's magic and what he can do with it, provided a plan that Kyousuke would refuse to oblige to.

"Kyousuke! You need to break out of this thing and get the iris! I'll tell you exactly what to do when you break free!" Gajeel shouted, prompting Kyousuke to look at him in shock as the wall behind them opened up and proceeded to pull the two inside.

"What are you going to do?!"

"This thing's gonna pull me in and trap me. I'll find a way out; you just need to get the iris!" Gajeel ordered. As much as Gajeel tried to convince him that he was going to be okay, Kyousuke simply couldn't accept it. He knew what was going to happen in there and he didn't want to leave him behind.

"Don't lie to me! I know what's going to happen to you in there; I can't just leave you here!"

"If we don't get it, the empire will, and they'll destroy everything. Are you really gonna let this happen just because of me?!" Gajeel yelled in response. The trap already was pulling the two in, preparing to trap them inside for eternity and leave them for dead. Kyousuke looked at him in shock, having no words as it continued to happen, prompting Gajeel to respond again to get him to do something. "Kyousuke! Are you really gonna let this happen just because of me?!" He shouted yet again. Kyousuke was just frozen, unable to give a response to him in his urgency. Gajeel could only get more frustrated with his hesitation, focusing on the task at hand more than what could possibly happen to him. He was so focused on getting the Iris that he couldn't really think much about how Kyousuke felt, but Kyousuke couldn't bring himself to put Gajeel in harm in order to get the Iris. Kyousuke really didn't want to get the Iris if it meant putting him in harm's way. Despite that, he tried breaking free of his restraints in order to get to the Iris, even with all the regret he had inside of him.

Using his electricity, he was able to wreck the trap he was caught in and make it let himself go, allowing him to get the Iris. Having Gajeel first and foremost on his mind, he went straight for the Iris and prepared to remove it as soon as possible. Seeing it, he went for it, but soon stopped when he heard something else that caught his attention. Gajeel was suddenly sent back out of the trap the altar previously had in store, still bundled up and restrained. However, looking above Gajeel, Kyousuke saw a large laser-beam become activated, slowly moving down on top of Gajeel and the contraption Kyousuke just escaped. Kyousuke couldn't help but panic in a fright.

"GAJEEL NO!" He screamed, running for Gajeel as he looked up and saw the beam. Seeing the beam caused him to widen his eyes in shock, looking down at Kyousuke in shock as he tried breaking him free. Up above, Sophia started suddenly turning into a bright lavender, suddenly firing off an infinite amount of energy blasts and causing everyone to run for cover, being completely unable to do anything at this point in time. As for Gajeel, he still didn't want to be saved.

"What the hell are you doing?! Quit worrying about me! You need to get the Iris before it destroys all of us!"

"NO! I'm not going to watch you get sliced in half by that laser-beam! I can't just let you die!" Kyousuke cried in horror, trying everything he could to break Gajeel free to no avail. The two were in such frustration that they were literally yelling at each other with expressions that looked like they were going to break down, showing that things were not working to plan.

"I can get out of this; you need to stop worrying about me and get that damn Iris!" Gajeel yelled out in pure frustration. Despite Kyousuke's attempts to save him, he just wouldn't accept it, even going as far as to break one of his legs free from the restraints and kick Kyousuke into the center where the Iris was. Already being emotional enough as it was, he simply spun around and went straight for the Iris. Gajeel knew that he would have to get around it somehow, remembering that the Iris contained some sort of self-implicated force field to prevent anyone from taking it directly. Much to his horror, though, Kyousuke did just that.

Without thinking twice and before Gajeel could help him out in doing so, Kyousuke grabbed the Iris and used every bit of his strength to pull it out of the pillar it was contained within, despite how much it hurt. It oozed a blue energy similar to Kyousuke's that surrounded him and burned him, only causing him more pain as he pulled even harder. Gajeel couldn't help but scream at him in complete shock.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! You're going to kill yourself by taking it out like that!" Gajeel screamed out angrily to no avail. In spite of his horror, Kyousuke forcibly removed the Iris will all of his willpower and ignored every call Gajeel made to him in concern over his well-being. The amount of internal pressure caused by the Iris could easily kill Kyousuke, but he continued regardless. At this point in time, handicaps didn't exist, not when a terrifying ending could be brought to reality. Without a full minute passing, Kyousuke was sent flying back into the wall behind him, right next to Gajeel as the latter stared at him in complete shock and horror. He was blasted into the wall so hard that he made a crater in the wall, falling unconscious as the Iris fell out of his hands and went to his side. Up above, Sophia, being controlled by the Iris this whole time, fell down and hit the ground without a second thought. She too was completely unconscious, prompting everyone else to run around her and see if she's alright. Even while she was on the verge of causing complete and total destruction, she just stopped, like that.

"What the heck happened to her?! She just fell out of the air!" Daniel worried, holding her up to see if she was okay. As Juvia helped him out with the ordeal, Pantherlily assumed what must've happened in order for her to just stop attacking them.

"They must've gotten the Iris and removed it from its own control. That would explain why she stopped attacking us." Pantherlily explained, putting his focus on the hole that Gajeel and Kyousuke were trapped in as Daniel and Juvia expressed sighs of relief.

"That's good to hear. We can finally get out of this place." Juvia sighed in relief. However, it was more relieving for them than it was for Gajeel, especially considering everything that took place. He quickly broke free of the contraption that held him in the first place and ran to Kyousuke on the ground, grabbing him by the shoulders and holding him in shock. What made him do this? Perhaps he just was completely unaware of how to get it and the consequences of getting it the way he did, but either way it could've easily killed him. He held Kyousuke up with his right hand on his left shoulder and his left hand on the back of his head, holding him up and feeling nothing but shock and worry.

"Dammit, this is why I tell people not to worry about me." Gajeel fussed regretfully. He held Kyousuke up and felt his smooth, blonde hair flow through his fingers, feeling him but worried for his life. Right when Gajeel was about to check his pulse, he heard something latch onto the Iris, fixing his sight on the Iris as it was quickly pulled up and out of the area by someone in particular.

"We've got the Iris, move out!" A commander ordered, prompting Gajeel and the others to look up and see the empire's soldiers within the area. They managed to ambush the team and take the Iris after the dirty work had been done, making an easy getaway for the team whilst getting what they wanted.

"What the hell?!" Daniel shouted in disbelief above. "I thought we took these guys out?!"

"Well, it looks like they may have had backup." Pantherlily exclaimed, preparing to fight them off as they prepared to surround the team. Gajeel wasn't about to let them get away with the Iris, not now. Within an instant, he jumped out of the hole he was stuck in and met face-to-face with all the soldiers that surrounded the team. Without a full five seconds passing, he instantly attacked them all, firing of his Iron Dragon's Roar in a fit of rage that was powerful enough to take out each and every soldier approaching them, instantly clearing the area and making way for those who took the Iris to be seen. Everyone else in the group looked at him in shock and confusion, wondering why he would be so hasty in a time like this.

"Man Gajeel, you didn't have to use that much power. I mean, they're just soldiers, right?" Daniel joked in confusion, earning no response as Gajeel scanned the area like a predator searching for his prey. Juvia could sense something was off.

"I think there's more to it than that." Juvia stated, watching as Gajeel saw the soldiers leaving the area and stormed off after them. Everyone else followed them in wonder, except for Sophia and Kyousuke, and they watched as Gajeel chased after the soldiers who quickly climbed up the ladder rope and got into a separate helicopter from the empire.

"You're not getting away on my watch!" He angrily yelled, instantly attacking with his Iron Dragon's Pole to no effect. The helicopter had an invisible force-field around it in order to prevent anyone like Gajeel from taking it down, making their getaway even easier than it should've been. The other three ran out and saw Gajeel standing there, staring at the helicopter with such built up frustration and anger. He was going to blow them up.

"I'm not gonna let you run away from me like that." Gajeel said darkly, pulling out his twin pistols as a response and charging them up on the spot, preparing to fire off a powerful enough blast that will easily blow through the force field and blow up the helicopter. However, Daniel and Pantherlily instantly caught onto what he was doing and ran up to him, restraining him by holding his arms back as Gajeel angrily retorted.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! They're gonna get away!"

"Gajeel, you need to think straight! The Iris is in that ship Gajeel, and you know how easy it is to detonate. If it were to blow up, the aftermath would be catastrophic!" Pantherlily argued as he held Gajeel back, who continued to struggle against him. Eventually, when the helicopter was a good distance away, Gajeel gave up the struggle and calmed down, losing the charge on the pistols and quickly holstering them. He knew that Pantherlily was right about the Iris, and it would be better to lose the Iris to them instead of getting everyone killed in the aftermath of the Iris' destruction. Daniel gave Gajeel a perplexed look; one that he personally thought would never hit him in a long time.

"Man, what is going on? You've been acting really funky lately. First the ship and you're demonic rage and now this?" Daniel inquired in a serious tone. You could tell that he knew that something wasn't right; first off we have Gajeel's fit of rage that he unleashed on Midnight on the top of the ship and then we have him furiously running out and trying anything he could to stop them from getting the Iris, not thinking rationally about the consequences. Thinking over it all, Gajeel put a hand on his head and shook it in frustration, letting out a deep breath before he headed back into the area.

"It's nothing." He stated, simply heading back to where Kyousuke was while the other two stared at him perplexed. They assumed that he was hiding something, and they wanted to know what it was. As Gajeel went back in, the other two went back into the area as well as they met up with Juvia and Sophia, the latter waking up from what happened previously. She seemed like she had just been involved in a car-crash.

"Oh man...what in the world happened to me?" She wondered in a stressful tone, seeing Gajeel in front of her and soon seeing the others as well. Gajeel simply jumped back into the area with Kyousuke, getting him as the other three surrounded Sophia and helped her to her feet.

"The Iris controlled you like it did last time. It must've known that we were going after it, so it took control of you and used you to stop us." Daniel explained to Sophia who rubbed her eyes and stretched. Hearing what Daniel said made her sigh out of disappointment.

"Of course; I knew it was going to happen again, it was just a matter of time. Did you get it?" She questioned in response. Daniel and Pantherlily looked at each other and hesitated to respond, prompting Sophia to sigh again over such. "I assume that you weren't successful then."

"It's a complicated story. We'll tell you on our way back to the base." Daniel explained in response. Not much long afterwards, Gajeel came out with Kyousuke in his arms, walking out of the area as Sophia looked at him in shock. She could see that Kyousuke was unconscious, and seeing that made her worry.

"Wait, what happened to him?!" Sophia pressed, prompting everyone else to see Kyousuke in Gajeel's arms and become shocked as well. They all waited for a response from the Iron Dragon Slayer, but he wasn't so willing to give one away at this time.

"We're heading back to the base, that's all you need to know right now." He answered, further confusing everyone else. Whatever it was, they were certainly shocked, and it was clear that something was not right within Stealth Overdrive.

* * *

Later on, the group was back in the NovaGlider, heading back home as they all stood there and thought about what happened. Sophia was updated on everything that happened with losing the Iris, and knew that there was something up. Having her arms crossed, she turned to see Gajeel sitting on the floor of the glider, his back up against the wall as he held an unconscious Kyousuke in his lap and continued to stare at him the whole ride back. You could tell that there was a lot going through his mind at that moment just by watching him stroke the back of Kyousuke's head and feel his soft hair go through his fingers. He just wanted to hold him and keep him safe, protect him from the world's evils. Sophia, knowing that he was stressed, decided to question him on it.

"If you don't mind, can you please tell me why Kyousuke was unconscious?" Sophia questioned calmly. Everyone else focused in on Gajeel for they wanted to know why as well, prompting him to look up at everyone for a moment before looking back down at Kyousuke. He took a deep breath before responding.

"He managed to remove the Iris, but it was by force." Gajeel explained calmly. Sophia and the others looked at him in surprise, but Sophia especially was fearful, even angry.

"What?! With that intense of an exposure to the power of the Iris...he could've been killed! Were you just standing there watching him the whole time?!" She yelled out in worry, shocking everyone else. Gajeel shot her one of the most rage-filled glares he thought he'd ever give to Sophia, looking her straight in the eyes with a look that threatened to harm her. In spite of that, she seemed quite furious, and was willing to push the meter if it meant getting her point across. Daniel intervened, trying to stop the fight that was about to start.

"Whoa whoa Sophia, calm down. He didn't even tell the whole story, so you should…"

"I don't care! The Iris is dangerous, and if he's being affected by it this much, there's only one person to blame. I know what the Iris does to people, and if this happened to Kyousuke then I shouldn't trust him at all with it!" Sophia shouted angrily. Gajeel calmly set Kyousuke down before getting up and getting into Sophia's face, arguing back and forth with her over the ordeal.

"It's not like I ASKED him to forcefully rip the damn thing out!" He yelled in response, aggravating her.

"Oh yeah? Well what else could've happened?! Did he "accidentally" pull the thing out?!"

"The damn Iris caught us; we would've been killed had he not done something in time! Of course you were too busy being possessed by the damn thing to know!"

"Oh, whatever! Then why didn't _you_ do it? Were you too scared?!"

"Shut your mouth! I wasn't gonna let him get killed by the damn trap the thing had in store for us!"

"Well it looks like you already did that, good job!" She angrily fired off. Gajeel was so pissed that he wanted to body-slam her into the ground for that comment, but he didn't do it.

"I don't need you running your fat mouth to me when you couldn't even control yourself; the Iris used you like a puppet and you couldn't even stop it!"

"Oh, what is it, do I just not know what I'm doing, is that it?!"

"You got that damn right! You can't even keep your fat mouth shut when it comes to our relationship issues and on top of that all you do is run away from your bullshit!"

"Maybe it's because you don't even know what a relationship is, furthermore how to care about those who are important to you! You wouldn't even be in a relationship if it wasn't for my help!"

"Your help?! What a load of crap; all you did was stick your fat damn head into everything we were doing and you wouldn't shut the hell up about it! All you ever do is act like you're on top of everything when you're not; half of the time you're complaining about everything and you're trying to tell me what to do! I'm the leader; I'm the one who runs things around here!"

"Well then maybe you should do a better job and act like one! Maybe you should actually be more OPEN about what you're doing; you're anything but transparent, nobody knows what's going on inside of Gajeel's mind because he can't handle anybody knowing about it!"

"I'm not the one who cries about everything and whines and complains every damn day! There's always some stupid problem in the way, and all you ever do is pry into people's shit!"

"It really is my fault." Kyousuke mumbled in a sorrow tone. The two turned to him in complete shock and horror, seeing him wide awake, staring the two in the eyes with complete shock and devastation. Kyousuke felt so battered, he wanted to break out into tears over it all just happening. He thought he found the perfect place, the perfect group, but it still is just fighting. The two stared at him in shock, preparing to approach him when he responded first. "Maybe if I wasn't here, this wouldn't be happening." Kyousuke stated, quickly turning around and running into the room behind him as the two arguing just stood there completely baffled and shocked.

They couldn't believe what they did, why they were arguing and trying so hard to tear each other down over a simple misunderstanding. What they couldn't believe most though is that they may have somehow unintentionally hurt Kyousuke indirectly through their argument. Sophia, upset enough, ran away from the area and went into the back end of the ship, running into one of the rooms and shutting the door frantically as Gajeel went into the room Kyousuke went into. In the front end of the ship, Gajeel knew that Kyousuke was in the bathroom, for he had locked the door shut and made it so that no one could get in. In spite of such, Gajeel went up to the door and knocked on it, trying to get his attention as he called out to him.

"Come on Kyousuke, don't lock yourself in bathroom!" Gajeel shouted to no avail. He didn't get a response. Kyousuke didn't want to talk to him at the moment and felt so horrible on the inside, like some sort of monster was eating him and his heart. Gajeel, however, persisted. "Kyousuke!" He shouted again, to no avail. With that, he simply turned around and slid to the ground, lying against the bathroom door as he reminisced over everything that happened. He felt horrible too, as did Sophia in the other room. He just didn't know how to properly express it. "It's not your fault; it's never been your fault. I'm just letting it all get the best of me." Gajeel said calmly, surprising Kyousuke as he listened into what he was saying. Gajeel clenched his fist angrily, upset over everything that happened and feeling responsible for it.

"I'm just failing at being a leader, that's all." Gajeel said calmly. He let out a sigh of frustration, being so rattled by everything that happened. He felt like he was screwing up left and right, making the wrong decision here and then doing something stupid there. He felt like he could escape the dreadful feeling of inferiority but he couldn't fully do it.

"That's not true." Kyousuke simply stated, surprising Gajeel somewhat. He listened into what Kyousuke was saying as he finally decided to spit something out, at least for the moment. "I'm just a pawn to my emotions. I can't control them, and it always results in me doing something stupid. I wouldn't be here if you didn't exist, but you could live on without me. I, on the other-hand, wouldn't stand a chance." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel instantly wanted to tell him about how wrong he thought he was, but he felt like this wasn't the right time. With everything that happened, they needed to stop for a while. There are other things of importance, but they can't do them if the group is falling apart. They need a chance to fix things. They needed to stop themselves from producing the two tears that fell down their cheeks when things went off the rail.


	20. Chapter 20: Two Codes

**A/N: Hey everyone, it's been a while since I updated this story. Getting caught up in school with several AP classes and other creative outlets aside from school makes it hard for me to put my focus on this story. It's still being written, just not at a fast pace.**

 **This chapter isn't as long as some of the chapters I put out, but it dives into a new perspective in the story. Please enjoy it :)**

Chapter 20: Two Codes

It was a good thing that the Stealth Overdrive group came to the school to patch things up, especially considering the perilous state it was in. With everyone being subconsciously manipulated, they wouldn't have guessed, furthermore been able to deal with the amount of pain they would've been in had it continued to its final stages. It was strange enough to the school's staff as it was, having been unknowingly part of the action and panicking later when they came to the realization of how bad the school's condition was.

Soon after though, things got back on track. The school was on the route to looking much better physically and the schedule was on board once again. Natsu managed to patch things up with Roxanne thanks to her understanding of his predicament, having known that even he was caught under the brainwashing influence of the empire. Now everything was back to normal, well, at least it seemed that way. Now there were some people who were working on a plan to get back at this empire, and one of those people was Roxanne. This time, she was walking out with her lunch and didn't having a look of distraught and confusion on her face. Instead, she this time had a look of determination so firmly displayed. She was quite determined to find out everything she could about the empire and stop them at all costs.

" _After what had happened with the school and Kyousuke, I need to step up my game as well. It's time that we decided to make a stand against the empire ourselves_." She thought to herself confidently. She didn't want to have to go through another series of incidents because of the empire again, and apparently they still weren't finished with them anyways; they had to stop them. Taking her lunch with a confident look in her eyes, she went to the same table Natsu, Dayton, and Happy were at before, only to do something different than last time.

"Hey Roxanne, I'm glad I didn't have to get you to come over here myself!" Dayton chaffed. Roxanne just sat down, nodding as she was met with greetings from the three including Erza and Gray, who also were sitting with them.

"Well, we should probably start planning out the measures we can take against the empire while we're here."

"You sure want to stop them." Gray pointed-out. She continued to talk about it ever since the incident, indicator enough. "Do you think that the six of us can go in and take them out?"

"Sure we can! I bet they're not that tough anyways." Natsu gloated as he continued to eat away, earning himself a look of amusement from Gray in response. Roxanne just shook her head lightly with a smirk on her face, proceeding to explain.

"I wish it was that easy, but apparently this empire has thousands, possibly even millions of soldiers working for them."

"You can't be serious!" Natsu and Gray both shouted in complete shock as Dayton spit out his drink in disbelief.

"Did they recruit the army or something?!"

"Who knows? On top of that, I contacted Stealth Overdrive to get some sort of experience from someone who has already dealt with them. I can't say that it's the most practical information however." Roxanne explained. Natsu looked at her perplexed, having heard the name before but having forgot what it was thanks to his one-track mind.

"Wait a minute; didn't Kyousuke go to a group like that or something?" He questioned, prompting Erza to explain.

"Yes Natsu, he made it into the Stealth Overdrive Force. It's also happens to have been found by Gajeel himself." Erza reminded him with a flicker of surprise, reminding Gray of such before.

"That's right. Who would've thought that he would be the leader of that?" Gray stated in surprise. Dayton looked at Roxanne in wonder, wondering about her interaction with the group.

"So, did you talk to Kyousuke?"

"No," She sulked, sighing like a cloud was above her head, "He didn't talk to me much after the whole thing was over and I couldn't even find out how he was doing!"

"Whoa, calm down! I just asked a question!" Dayton defended, on guard as Roxanne got on track again and explained. She seemed to be pretty stressed out from being unable to keep in contact with Kyousuke as much as she hoped.

"It was some woman who went by the name of Sophia. I'm assuming that she was outside of the school giving some sort of outside support, given that Kyousuke was wearing a headset. He may have been communicating with her all of that time." Roxanne explained, clearing things up for the group. She remembered how the conversation went and explained it to everyone.

* * *

Sitting in the middle of her room up in her house, she was doing research regarding the empire, collecting vast amounts of data on them as she used it to expand her knowledge. She had already figured out that the Empire was called the Xandolian Empire and that it was a large group set out on a mission that required the use of several stones, the Cloak of Nocturne, and the Dagger of Radiance. There was something about the latter though that surprised her quite a bit.

"For some reason, this dagger is referred to through the use of a different name in several contexts. They all state that its true name is indeed not the Dagger of Radiance, but rather the Dagger of Divinity. Why is that?" She wondered to herself. Roxanne continued to think about it for a bit as her mind eventually wandered off and she started contemplating other things, prompting her to realize such and snap herself out of her thoughts. "Come on, you have to focus! There must be more that I can find out about this empire, but where would I look?" She said to herself in question. Sitting in her office chair, she leaned back in it and thought to herself, trying to think of any possible resources she could use to get more information on the empire, until it hit her. "That's it!" She thought to herself in a rush. Roxanne suddenly grabbed her phone and dialed a number, calling it right away with increased enthusiasm. "If anyone has the knowledge on this empire that I'm looking for, it's Stealth Overdrive!" She said to herself. Calling the number, she waited patiently for an answer, until she heard what sounded like Sophia's voice.

"Hello, you've called the Stealth Overdrive Force. Unfortunately, we're not available right now, so please leave a message and we'll try to get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you!" The voicemail explained, prompting further frustration from Roxanne.

"Ugh, no! Why does it have to be now?!" She complained in frustration. Soon she heard a beep, and then she decided to record her message, despite the frustration she was in. "Hello, this is Roxanne Laurel, a student of Mega Dawn High School; I'm sure you remember what happened there. Anyways, I was wondering if…"

"Hello! Are you still there?!" Sophia questioned, surprising Roxanne and filling her with relief.

"Wha...yes! I'm here! I'm here!"

"That's good to hear. I don't answer most calls to us because they are usually salesmen trying to rack up a scam, but it sounds like you're an exception! What do you need to talk about?" Sophia questioned, exciting Roxanne.

"Well…" Roxanne said calmly, preparing to explain, "I was wondering if you had information regarding the Xandolian Empire?"

"Wha...wait what?" Sophia stuttered in disbelief as Roxanne repeated herself.

"I was just wondering…"

"About the Xandolian Empire? Yeah, that's fine; I'm just wondering why you are contacting us about it?" Sophia wondered, prompting Roxanne to recount on past events.

"Well I don't remember seeing you there, but I remember seeing Kyousuke and his leader, I think it's Gajeel, there telling us about the school and how it's been raided by the empire." Roxanne explained. No further explanation was needed, for Sophia then remembered exactly what happened.

"Oh, so that's how you were involved with it! I see; it's just strange because I would've never expected a school student to be doing this kind of research, if you know what I mean." Sophia explained, just as Roxanne started to feel quite awkward.

"Right…" She said calmly, moving on. "So, do you have any information that could help me? I know that they're an evil empire set on some sort of plan involving the Cloak of Nocturne and the Dagger of Radiance, but I don't know the rest."

"Well you've certainly done your research; I'm quite impressed!" Sophia said calmly. "Though I don't think I can help you. While I do know what's going on with them and everything they're doing and such, I can't say that I'm allowed to expose that kind of information."

"Why not?!" Roxanne complained in disbelief. She was put into a state of shock, her only chance at finding the most useful information to her jeopardized by some outside source.

"Well, I'll be honest, I can't. I'm not allowed to, because our leader is the one who runs everything and he's the one who determines what comes in and what goes out of this group." Sophia explained, leaving Roxanne disappointed. Her only chance at finding that kind of information was jeopardized. However, in that moment, Sophia was distracted by someone else. "Hey, you still there?"

"Yeah." Roxanne said calmly.

"Hold on a minute." She told her, raising her hopes as Sophia looked to her left. After having talked with Roxanne on the phone in the main area, it turned out that Gajeel himself turned up during the call.

"Who is it?" He questioned, prompting Sophia to explain.

"It's a girl named Roxanne. She says she's from the school we just cleared out and she's looking for information on the empire."

"Give me the phone." Gajeel told her, prompting Sophia to hand him the phone as he took over the conversation. "Hey kid, are you there?" Gajeel questioned, just as Roxanne jumped from the new voice and quickly focused back on the conversation.

"Yeah, I'm still here!"

"Good." Gajeel acknowledged. He knew exactly what she was looking for, but he wasn't going to make it easy for her. "I know what you're looking for, and I've got exactly what you need. I know you can figure it out and if you want to, you'll need this." Gajeel explained. Roxanne was listening as if her ears were glued to the speaker, waiting for that perfect response that would lead her to the next step of solving everything. "Write this down." Gajeel told her, prompting Roxanne to pull out a pen and piece of paper, ready to write it down.

"I'm ready."

"You're gonna need to write dow 2. That's a binary code that's gonna be useful when you hack into their database. On top of that, you're also gonna need a password called 'ANTIDOTE'. That's all there is to it." Gajeel explained, just as Roxanne finished writing it down and was listening attentively. She was so relieved and excited that she was going to get straight to work on it.

"I've got it! Thanks, you have no idea how important this is to me!" Roxanne gracefully thanked. Gajeel, however, didn't need the thanks.

"If you can get this far, you can get the rest of the information." Gajeel explained, before departing with some last words. "See you around."

"Wait a minute! I…" She shouted, only for the signal to cut out and the call to end. Realizing that was all she was going to get, she hung the phone up and put her focus on the two things that Gajeel gave her. While she was excited, that soon turned into a moment of pure confusion as she wondered why he would've given her these two things in the first place.

* * *

"And that's it." Roxanne explained. Dayton shot her a look of disbelief.

"So wait, you call this guy up for answers and he gives you codes?" Dayton wondered. Roxanne nodded in response as she remembered the codes, thinking about them as it all sunk into her head once again.

"He did say that they're useful when it comes to getting into their databases, but I'm not exactly sure where to start." Roxanne explained calmly. Erza then crossed her arms and smirked in response, knowing exactly what was needed.

"Hmm…so you need to find information then? It sounds like this requires the work of two intelligent wizards." Erza said calmly, prompting Roxanne to look at her in confusion.

"Two intelligent wizards?" She thought to herself. It was easy for her to realize that one of them was her, but who was the other wizard? That soon was answered though.

"Wait a minute, are you suggesting that I work with Levy on this?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm suggesting. With you two together, you'll figure it out in no time." Erza assured, prompting Roxanne to think deeper into it. It wasn't long before a fire of passion began to build underneath that calm exterior of hers.

"Alright then, let's do it!"

It wasn't long before Roxanne got together with Levy and the two decided to do a bunch of research on the subject. Levy started with her research within text books and such while Roxanne did her research on the computers there. Despite the two researching as much as they could, they still managed to get nowhere with their research, even when it came to figuring out how these two codes went together. Out of pure frustration, the two fell onto the ground and took a break, becoming overwhelmed with frustration and irritation.

"I can't believe this! I've literally searched everywhere I could on the internet and I haven't managed to uncover anything!" Roxanne shouted out in frustration. Levy felt much the same, considering her text-books.

"Agreed. Besides, who did you get the codes from in the first place?" Levy questioned curiously, surprising Roxanne somewhat.

"Ugh...Gajeel gave them to me."

"Gajeel?! Are you serious?!" Levy questioned in surprise, causing Roxanne to give her a perplexed look.

"Well yeah...I was frustrated with my lack of information on the empire so I called Stealth Overdrive. He wasn't the first to answer, but soon he was on the phone and he gave me these codes. Although, he never told me exactly what I should use them for."

"Of course he wouldn't. He wants everything to be a challenge." Levy spat in disappointment, going back to the codes and doing research on them. "I'm just surprised that he gave you codes instead of a direct answer." Levy stated, being somewhat perplexed. Roxanne became curious over such a statement.

"What makes you say that?"

"Having been with Gajeel in the guild for as long as I have, I can tell you that he's too direct of an individual to do something like this. If he did it though, maybe he wanted us to figure it out on our own or something. Perhaps there was information that he didn't want to get leaked." Levy explained, observing the codes and pulling out text-books that might be related to the codes. The empire could've easily tapped into their phone calls and picked up on all of their information, and because of this Gajeel has to be careful of what is said over the phone. Roxanne thought about what she said about him, making her wonder.

"Too direct?" She thought-aloud prompting Levy to further explain.

"If he didn't like something that was going on, or thought you were complaining too much, or etc, he would tell you straight up. I don't know if his partner is like that but…"

"Oh man, don't even get me started! There was the time when he got so pissed off at Natsu and called him a stupid bitch, and then there's the time when he told this girl that her cleavage brought too much attention when she was upset over it all, and OH don't even get me started on his fights with Dayton!" Roxanne explained vigorously, prompting Levy to do the same.

"Oh man, Gajeel fought with Natsu ALL THE TIME! Kyousuke is just like him when it comes to Dayton!"

"Exactly! They're like the same person if you think about it!" Roxanne shouted. The two displayed great excitement over such, but eventually it settled down after Roxanne said that and the two went back to business. She continued to think about what the two codes actually meant, trying to relate it to whatever she could possibly think of. However, it wasn't long before she became irritable and flipped out due to frustration, slamming her fists on the table and being completely fed up with having gone nowhere in their research. "Ugh! Why does he have to be so vague?! Couldn't he have just given me the information over the phone?!" Roxanne flipped, falling into an office chair that was in the room as Levy continued doing her own research. "But Roxanne, it's like I said. If he wants us to figure it out, then he must not want anyone else to know about it."

"How is anyone else going to know about it?!"

"Think about it: if he was to give you the information over the phone, anyone could easily tap into the connection and eavesdrop on the conversation. He's a lot smarter than he lets on." Levy explained, clearing it up for Roxanne as she pulled out a textbook on different types of medical cures and antidotes and continued her research. She knew Levy had a point and thought that she shouldn't be that upset with Gajeel considering their circumstances. Roxanne sighed in response, ending her venting as she continued to do the research that she so desperately needed to do in the hopes of figuring out what these codes actually meant. As she was reading, she noticed a similarity between the code and the two items that she had discovered.

"Two...there are two items needed...wait a minute." She said as she began to see a pattern, immediately heading to the desk, grabbing a piece of paper from the drawer, and drawing a diagram based on what she was picking up.

"There's something important to this code, 8062. There are two items needed, hmm...eight different types of stones, that's right…" She continued on. Levy soon caught eye of what she was doing and moved with her chair into her direction, watching as Roxanne was catching onto what this code meant and how she was going to use it.

"What, did you catch onto something?" Levy questioned with increasing anticipation as Roxanne continued, trying to figure out what the other two numbers meant.

"Each of these digits represent a part of this sort of plan that they're trying to enact...ugh, I only know what two of them mean!" She shouted in frustration, trying to figure out what the six and zero meant within the code. She turned to Levy to see if she could figure out something.

"Hold on, how many members are there in Stealth Overdrive?" She questioned, prompting Levy to quickly think it through.

"Hmm...the last time I checked there were four current members including Kyousuke." Levy explained. Roxanne then thought about it for a little bit as she tried to figure out what this six meant; she assumed that it might have some sort of connection to the number of members that were involved in the group.

"Well...there's Kyousuke who just joined, Gajeel who's the group's leader, and Sophia and Daniel, who are two other members involved with the group." Roxanne explained. She didn't know of whom else could be with the group, but luckily Levy was there to help.

"Hold on, Gajeel had an exceed named Pantherlily that was involved within the group as well, so with him on the team, that makes five of them!" Levy explained, helping Roxanne out as she was able to figure out the rest.

"Yes! So then that must mean that there are six forces of opposition, making up for the six members involved with the Stealth Overdrive Force's goal! That leaves the zero." Roxanne explained. The two of them tried to figure out what the zero meant as they pondered over it for a few minutes. There was nothing they could derive from the zero being a numerical indicator, so they tried to figure out what the zero resembled. "Hmm, what would the zero represent?" Roxanne questioned as she tried to figure it out. Levy was also trying to figure it out as well, managing to get a step closer with her thoughts on it.

"Zero as in nothing, zero existence, the void." Levy thought aloud, prompting Roxanne to slowly turn to her. She could tell that Levy was onto something, but she still wasn't exactly sure of how this zero was involved in it all. Whilst trying to figure out what that zero meant, she suddenly remembered the password Gajeel gave her and tried figuring out what that was for.

"Hmm….ANTIDOTE. Let's see…" She said, moving her chair over to the computer as she surfed the web and brought up a secret screen that was linked to the empire itself. Using her technological prowess, she managed to travel through an internet wormhole to get there. On this DOS screen, a password prompt was presented before her and she entered ANTIDOTE into the screen with the username 8062, managing to hack into their servers and load up a list of data files that included the file "67B". Levy, observing Roxanne as she hacked into the servers and brought up the information, looked on in awe over what was displayed before her.

"What are all of these files for?" Levy questioned, watching Roxanne scroll through them all and click on the file that was last modified, 67B. Opening the file displayed the empire's plans in a text-based format, allowing the two to figure out exactly what the empire was up to.

"Wait a minute; these are the empire's plans! They must have them sent out to each sector of the empire with periodic updates!" Roxanne figured out, prompting shock from the two of them as they scrolled through the file to find out their main objective. Eventually coming across it on the page, they read the main objective and found themselves in pure horror.

"What?!" Roxanne shouted, letting go of her mouse.

"But why would they do that?!" Levy shouted in response. They both were in quite the shock. Relating back to the code that Gajeel gave them, they were able to figure out just what that zero meant.

"So then, the zero means the lack of worldly existence." Roxanne stated, lying back and thinking through the objective itself. It was quite shocking to the both of them, and they couldn't help but wonder why it was being done. "Come on Roxanne, we need to go tell the others!" Levy shouted, grabbing Roxanne's arm as they both got up and ran out of the room and headed off to tell the others. The empire's plan was nothing short of destructive; if it isn't stopped, everyone will cease to exist.


	21. Chapter 21: Flaming Sun

Chapter 21: Flaming Sun

With all the fighting that broke out among the ship and all the trouble that the group has been facing, along with losing the Iris, the group needed a chance to get their stuff together so that they could get back on track. Blaming himself for losing the Iris and having been rattled up by all the fighting that took place outside of their mission, Kyousuke literally shut himself in his room alone for a while, needing time away from everyone, including Gajeel, which actually made him concerned. Gajeel and Sophia refused to talk to each other at all throughout the whole day and to sum it all up it was just a really negative day. The next day came back rather quickly and then it was morning.

Gajeel woke up in bed, sitting upright and staring directly across the room. The first thing he did upon waking up was that he focused on a picture of the Stealth Overdrive force. It was taken some time after Pantherlily made it back into the group, and with everyone that was needed to complete the group, Gajeel wanted to capture this moment and keep it on display. In the picture, Pantherlily was standing in the back in his battle form with his arms crossed and a nice smile, while Sophia was seen staring at Daniel with an expression on her face that was trying to either be a smile or a frown. Daniel was on the far right laughing extremely hard at her expression, probably having irritated her earlier while the picture was being taken; one can guess how hard he laughed when seeing the picture for himself. On the left was Gajeel with his usual grin, looking all happy yet devious at the same time (it's hard to not look like a trouble-maker when someone with a resting bitch face smiles) as he held an arm around Kyousuke and ruffled his hair. In return, Kyousuke was looking up at Gajeel with a look of pure bliss, being held by Gajeel in his arm. That was a look that he didn't get to see very often and he was glad that he caught it, even though Kyousuke didn't like his expression. To him, he thought he looked odd and even though he liked the picture, he did not like the way he looked in it.

Gajeel, shirtless, got up and walked over to the picture that was there and held it, staring at Kyousuke and himself on it specifically. He looked so happy in that picture, and having seen him become so emotionally distressed over the past few days made him feel concerned for him in a way he usually has never felt; he felt quite bad. With everything that had happened, he needed to get it all back on track. He set the picture down and prepared to get dressed, ready to head out.

" _That kid doesn't realize how important he really is_." Gajeel told himself, getting dressed and ready to head out. Within a few minutes, Gajeel got ready and headed out of his room, heading straight for Kyousuke's room first. Despite Kyousuke isolating himself from everyone the day before, Gajeel wanted to talk with him regardless. He went into his room to see if he was up or not. Surprisingly enough, when he went in to talk with him, he found out that he wasn't even in there. His bed was made, his stuff was organized, but he was absent. Gajeel looked in surprised, wondering where he could possibly be. "Huh…" he simply said, closing the door and heading out. Of course, Sophia was out there and the two couldn't help but instantly make eye-contact with one another, whether or not they wanted to. Daniel was on the couch playing some sort of video game as usual, and Sophia was making herself breakfast, being the first to break away from eye contact as she continued with what she was doing.

"Hey Gajeel." Daniel simply stated, earning no response as Gajeel continued on. Without saying a word to him, Sophia watched as Gajeel left the room as silent as can be, heading out as she watched. After he left, she focused back on her breakfast, now feeling some sort of remorse within her arise.

"Wow...maybe I did over-react. I was just worried about Kyousuke, but I guess I was being impulsive as usual. Gajeel didn't deserve that, but I probably did." Sophia thought to herself depressingly. She was so concerned for Kyousuke's being that she went to the first thing that she could blame for his predicament, acting on it without a second thought and not considering the consequences. Sophia didn't think of the possibility of them being in a situation where Gajeel truly couldn't stop him from doing something reckless. Upset, she continued to make her breakfast, soon finishing up and eating it as she sifted through what had happened. She wanted to make up for it, now feeling bad for what she had done.

Outside, Gajeel came out of the door that lead into the base, seeing the sight of someone he wanted to see. He saw Kyousuke sitting on the hill, staring into the lake with his arms crossed over his knees. All he did was stare into the lake, nothing more, perhaps being caught up with everything that happened and being mentally cluttered. All the fighting, all the missions and failures he felt he had made, it hit him hard. To him, it felt like he was nothing more than a hindrance anymore, regardless of how they felt. Gajeel, seeing him sitting there, went up to him and sat down next to him, trying to talk with him over the whole ordeal.

"Hey." He simply said. Kyousuke didn't have a response to it. He could tell that something wasn't right, so Gajeel continued with the conversation regardless. "You've got a lot on your mind right now...huh?" He questioned calmly, staring at Kyousuke as the latter sighed in response. Kyousuke tilted his head back and let his arms hit the soft grass as he held himself up.

"Yeah, I do." Kyousuke simply stated. The two just sat there, staring into the lake as they thought about all of the things that have happened, a great many of which included the fighting and everything they went through during the missions. Kyousuke, surprisingly, continued the conversation. "All I ever feel like anymore is a failure." Kyousuke sighed out of frustration. Gajeel looked at him in surprise, listening as he went on. "Everything I've been doing...all I've been doing is messing up. I didn't even stand a chance against Midnight; he tossed me away like a useless tool. When fighting on the ship against Grock, I was foolish enough to let myself get caught and get sent on a conveyor belt to my death. When you were telling me to get the Iris, I didn't even listen to you and I nearly got myself killed in the process." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel stared at him with a serious expression on his face as Kyousuke started to falter, trying to refrain from breaking out again as he explained it further. "We would've gotten it if I wasn't so stupid! I've just been making mistakes!" Kyousuke shouted, trying to calm down and not let his emotions get the best of him. He didn't want to feel weak, he didn't want to feel like a failure, but with everything that had happened it felt like there was no reason for him. Gajeel continued to stare at him with that same expression, soon turning to the lake again and focusing on it and the reflection of the lake.

"Come on, don't be ridiculous." He said calmly, looking back at him as Kyousuke looked up at him with a hopeless expression. He was somewhat shocked as Gajeel continued, being given that kind of response. "If you were a failure, I would've kicked you out of this team already. Trust me, you think you're a failure? You were the one who saved Pantherlily, that cat's my best friend. You were the one who retrieved the Agape Stone when no one else I recruited could, you were the one who saved ME from my own rage against Midnight." Gajeel explained. Without a second thought, he pulled him into his arms and held him with a hand on his back and another on his head, holding him in as Kyousuke broke down into tears. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't hold his emotions back. "You're just an emotional disaster and that's the truth. It's my fault for expecting you to not worry about me when you cling on faster than I can blink." Gajeel explained to him as Kyousuke listened. He knew about his emotional breakdowns and knew that they always were there. But...being emotional isn't entirely a drawback.

"I just…" Kyousuke said, catching Gajeel's attention as he looked him right in the eyes, waiting for him to get it out. "I...love you. I love you...a lot. It scares me to death whenever I see you in pain and I wouldn't be able to bear it if something was to happen to you!" Kyousuke expressed. He was speaking the truth, and Gajeel looked at him with such an intense look in his eyes. It wasn't one of surprise, but one of enjoyment. He literally pulled Kyousuke back as he landed on the ground with Kyousuke in his arms, prompting Kyousuke to lay on his chest as Gajeel chuckled in response.

"I love you too kid...I really do." He said with a warm smile on his face, embracing Kyousuke as the latter lied on his chest and rested within his arms. It felt so strange to him, yet so appealing at the same time, the very idea of having felt lost this whole time, dealing with the dreadful fact of being isolated from everything, unknowingly having to deal with those who were under the delusion that he needed to be exterminated. Then, upon finding his partner, he becomes closer to him than anyone else to their own partner in his entire school. It would be accurate to say that Kyousuke finally did find his "home", and managed to find everything he was searching for his whole life. It was all right here, he just didn't know where it was before. "We're gonna have some fun tonight; we're doing something special for the team." Gajeel offered, prompting Kyousuke to look at him surprised. He felt so comfortable that it was like he could abandon his own bed for this kind of treatment.

"Really? Like what?" Kyousuke wondered, looking up at Gajeel curiously. The dragon slayer could only give a grin in return, knowing exactly what to do for the whole team as he had something really cool to offer.

With that, the two eventually got up and got through the rest of the day, especially since they managed to settle their inner tension and release it in a healthy way. Kyousuke felt a lot better off and wasn't as reclusive as he was yesterday, being more positive and relaxed throughout the day as everything eventually was put back on track. Sophia managed to track Gajeel down and give him an apology for her incessant and rude behavior towards him, which he did accept, that is, not without some sort of payback. Oh man, Sophia was going to be sore the next day; he body-slammed her first and then pinned-her to the ground and tickled her so much she wet herself, something she continuously warned him about, even though he didn't care. He got his sweet revenge, and Sophia was so embarrassed that she literally stormed into her bedroom and got changed just because of that. Although, that would've came in handy for what was to come.

* * *

At the end of the day, at around 6:30, the group met up outside in the back of the base. They were surrounded by trees and a flat, dirt area where they had their own bonfire. Everyone, including Juvia, was sitting on barrels or the bench at the bonfire as they had beer and whiskey (Daniel's contribution), and they told stories, chatted, and did whatever. It wasn't much of an actual party thanks to there being so little people, but it was something. Sophia actually had an amazing idea; they should've gotten some chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers so they could all make s'mores. In fact, that's exactly what they did, and that's what they were doing as they hung out around the bonfire. Of course, with beer in the area, you couldn't possibly expect them not to get drunk, and surprisingly enough, this included Gajeel as well. Kyousuke refrained from drinking this time thanks to what happened to him before; he didn't want to deal with the horrible feeling of being hungover once again. This time the tables were turned, and Kyousuke had to deal with a drunk Gajeel, which admittedly was much worse than Kyousuke was himself. It basically made him much more vocal and less restrained, which included throwing stuff about and bantering with Sophia, who also got drunk off her mind. Sophia this time continued to pressure Gajeel about his relationship with Kyousuke, being all up in it and all, but since Gajeel was drunk this time around, he couldn't control what he was saying, nor did he care in the moment.

"Man...how have you not...kissed him yet? You must be frickin' crazy man…" Sophia slurred as she downed a bottle of beer. They both looked at each other like they were trying to stare each other down but were too drunk too, doing so as Kyousuke sat around drinking a soda, Juvia talked with Daniel about her relationship with Gray and Pantherlily just sat around and relaxed, both Kyousuke and Pantherlily watching Gajeel and Sophia go on as they said what was on their mind. Gajeel, sitting in his chair, put his drink on the bench and pointed at Sophia like he was going to lecture her on what was going on.

"Shut your mouth woman….I'm just getting started!" Gajeel shouted, drinking more beer before slamming it back down on the table and going about arguing again. "I don't know...why you are...asking me this crap, you know he loves me you shithead." Gajeel explained, watching as Sophia got all up in his face and started talking like she knew what was going on.

"What do you mean, well duh I know that he likes you, everyone knows that...I mean...come on now. I'm saying that you need to be a...uh...MAN, and actually make out ya know." She cackled about, suddenly laughing as Gajeel got up in her face and started yelling at her.

"Why don't you just can it, I know what I'm doing...got that? I'll prove it to your ass." Gajeel slurred as he reached out from the bench, going for Kyousuke sitting in a chair as Kyousuke turned and saw him. He grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the chair without a second thought, causing Kyousuke to spill his drink all over him and Gajeel and tip the chair over, earning a response that he wasn't aiming for.

"Ah, what the hell are you doing?!" Kyousuke shouted, irritated enough. He got up and walked away from him to clean off his clothes, earning an annoyed stare from Gajeel as he slowly turned back to Sophia and saw her laughing uncontrollably.

"Shut the hell up!" Gajeel shouted, still being drunk and unable to control himself. Sophia just continued to laugh, eventually becoming soaked herself as Gajeel took her drink and threw it on her. She looked down on herself in shock as Gajeel looked at her and chuckled with a devious grin, only to see Sophia grab his drink and throw it all over him. In response, he took his cup and tossed it at her, prompting her to swing at him and miss entirely as Gajeel in return broke the table in half. Everyone's attention was focused on the two of them as they tried to fight each other but failed miserably. Sophia eventually tripped over backwards and fell on her back in the grass as Gajeel instantly turned away and drunkenly walked off. Sophia couldn't help but start squirming on the ground as everyone just stood there and watched her squirm.

"Hey! Someone...get me up! Get me up!" She shouted to no avail. The three others were just staring at her, unsure of what to do as she kept yelling out for someone to pick her up. Daniel just started laughing, able to get away with it for once thanks to her being so drunk. Pantherlily just watched and slightly shook his head in both slight amusement and disappointment, and of course Juvia just went on about her and Gray regardless of what was going on around her.

Gajeel, on the other hand, tried walking out to where Kyousuke headed off in the attempt to find him. He was so drunk that he couldn't walk straight and was wobbling from side to side, trying his best to at the least hold himself up; it would be bad enough for him to get caught in the same situation Sophia just got caught up in. Luckily for him, Kyousuke came back to him instead, seeing him trying his best to walk to him despite how drunk he was.

"Hey...you...get over here." Gajeel told Kyousuke, who sighed and went to help out his drunken lover. Gajeel almost tripped over himself walking to him but thankfully Kyousuke was there to help him out. Kyousuke held him up as Gajeel put an arm around him and let Kyousuke carry him, which wasn't an easy task. Gajeel only made it harder for him as Kyousuke also had to deal with him flailing his arms about as he yelled since he was so drunk. To make things easy, Kyousuke just carried Gajeel over to the lake as Gajeel blabbered about stuff.

"That Sophia better…keep her fat mouth shut! How many…times do I gotta tell her…the same thing? Where's my guitar…I'll teach her a thing or…two about keeping quiet."

"Man, you are drunk as hell. How did you let yourself get to this point?" Kyousuke questioned him as Gajeel completely ignored it. Now, thinking of teaching Sophia a "lesson", he wanted to go get his guitar and try to play it in his drunken state.

"You know what...kid, let me down. I wanna get my guitar." Gajeel told him as Kyousuke ultimately refused.

"Hell no, you can't even walk properly."

"Put me down kid….I'm not playing...around." He told Kyousuke again, who refused. There was no way Kyousuke was going to just let Gajeel wonder about and roam the area as drunk as he was. However, he should've expected that Gajeel wasn't the type to just talk. Gajeel, getting irritated, purposely tripped him so Kyousuke would slip and let him go, but instead it made Kyousuke slip backwards and land on Gajeel as the two hit the hillside next to the lake.

"Augh! What are you doing?!" Kyousuke shouted out of frustration, trying to scramble his way back up in order to get Gajeel back to his feet. However, he was stopped when Gajeel pulled him back up from the hillside as he lied down on the ground. The way he held him was kind of like the way a child would hold a stuffed animal, having one arm across Kyousuke's chest as he relaxed his other arm to his side. As drunk as he was, he had quickly forgotten about teaching Sophia a lesson and held Kyousuke as he drifted off to sleep.

"Don't move, just lie down and relax kid." He told him, holding him as he let himself drift off to sleep. Kyousuke looked up at him in surprise as Gajeel passed out; even though he was drunk he still clearly cared about him and that's what made him feel warm on the inside. A drunk mind speaks a sober heart as one always says. With that warmness settling inside of him and that feeling of being embraced, it didn't take much for him to pass out as well and drift off into a deep sleep, the two of them being left out to sleep on the hillside as the others left them and later on went inside. They didn't want to ruin their "moment" so to speak.

* * *

The next day, it was sunrise and it was about at least 7:30 in the morning. The sun was shining brightly as it rose from its own deep sleep, casting a beautiful flaming orange across the sky as it lit the whole place up and awakened everything from the deep sleep the moon put everything in. It wasn't long before Kyousuke woke up and found himself still there, getting a nice, fresh view of the sun as he slowly sat himself up and realized that it was morning. In doing so, Gajeel also woke up and sat up as well, prompting Kyousuke to turn and look back at him. Gajeel put a hand on his head in slight pain, the pain probably from getting drunk the night before.

"Ugh...I'm gonna be feeling that all day." Gajeel uttered, managing to remember exactly what happened. He had quite a sharp memory and this was one way of proving it. Seeing Kyousuke, he looked up and noticed that Kyousuke was just sitting there looking at him, eventually turning towards the Sun and observing it. Kyousuke watched how the sun's power coated the sky in a beautiful flaming orange, covering the world in a beautiful sheet that resembled the awakening of another beautiful part of the story.

"Do you ever think about how the sun just coats the sky in this bright, powerful color that awakens us all?" Kyousuke questioned, Gajeel listening as Kyousuke continued on with his sentiment. "It's the life source we all need; when the sky becomes soaked within this flaming orange, life is instilled into everything that was put into suspended animation by the moon's power. It gives us an essential component of what we need to survive." Kyousuke explained calmly. Gajeel felt a bit moved by this and, after hearing this, put his arms on Kyousuke's shoulders and pulled him back slightly. He moved up closer as he too stared into the sky's beauty seen in the morning.

"You wanna know what else it is?" Gajeel asked him curiously, prompting Kyousuke to sit still and listen carefully as Gajeel moved in real close, whispering into his ear something important. "It's also how I feel about you." He admitted, prompting Kyousuke to question him.

"What do you mean by that?"

"If the sun is supposed to keep the earth warm, then how do you feel when I move in closer to you?" Gajeel questioned, instilling much shock and surprise into Kyousuke as he widened his eyes. His cheeks absorbed the color of the sky as Gajeel pulled him around to where they were staring each other in the eyes, Kyousuke letting his weight fall into the arms of the one he truly desires as he stares him in the face. Just being held by him already filled him up with that warmth that Gajeel described, enough to let him close his eyes and drift away into a heavenly experience.

With nothing short of an actual smile put on the leader's face, Kyousuke soon found himself being pulled up to him without hesitation. The amount of pressure he felt coursing through him increased substantially with every single millisecond he endured whilst being pulled up, his own shock being too slow to catch up with him as the two only got closer and closer. Kyousuke couldn't help but follow Gajeel's lead, but with what he knew was going to happen he let himself be pulled by Gajeel and didn't resist. Within just a second, the two became bound together and were never closer as they felt the most intense surge of pure passion for one another, it skyrocketing between them. They felt like they truly belonged with one another; it was this very moment, they kissed for the first time. With it lasting at least ten seconds, the two slowly pulled apart as the former held the latter still, the latter looking at him with the most intensely passionate look in his eyes. The look he had resembled his animalistic self being tamed, held in the safety of the one who was holding him. Gajeel looked back at Kyousuke with a passion just as powerful as Kyousuke's own. He smiled in response as he fully realized how truly vulnerable Kyousuke was in his hands, realizing how important he truly was and how Kyousuke's feelings weren't just one-sided. Without another second passing, Kyousuke went forward and lied in Gajeel's chest as he put a hand on his head and held him in, his other arm supporting him. It was within these arms that Kyousuke felt truly safe, unable to be touched by harm. The two held one another and remained there for the time being, embracing one another as this was a moment to never be forgotten. It was at this moment that the two of them truly realized that they couldn't be separated, and that this level of passion for one another couldn't be found elsewhere.


	22. Chapter 22: The Agon-Count

Chapter 22: The Agon-Count

It wasn't too long ago when Gajeel had introduced Kyousuke to the Agon-Count, a deadly portal that could easily conjure one's deepest fears and vaporize them from existence. That portal was extremely dangerous and despite their growing fear of entering it, they knew they had to in order to stop it from eating up the world they stood in. There was a crucial component in the portal that the empire needed to go forth with their plan. Knowing that the empire would do anything to get their hands on it, Gajeel concluded that it would be safer in his hands than it would be in the portal. It was that very reason, along with the inevitable destruction it would cause, for why he was so willing to head in and retrieve what he needed. This led to everyone being gathered in a familiar room, the one where they used to keep the stones they retrieved from past missions. It was around 11:00 A.M. at this point, close to noon. The group had a good morning, especially Gajeel and Kyousuke for that matter, and took things nice and easy. However, when this moment came, that easiness was shattered to pieces. Standing in front of the same metal door that Kyousuke visited before their last mission, everyone knew exactly what was about to happen, and it only made their fear jump straight from their throats.

"Please don't tell me that today's the day." Daniel said in a fearful tone, his heart rate speeding up just at the thought of it. Being forced to confront your fears in the most horrific and traumatic way possible is not something anyone would want to face, especially for the four that were planning on entering this thing. The plan was that Pantherlily and Juvia would be supervising them from outside of the room, using digitally optimized technology to keep an eye on them and make sure everything will go as planned. It'll help with their success rate at the very least. Gajeel looked at the metal door as similar feelings arose within him, also being fearful of what could possibly happen in such a demonic place.

"I'd tell you to quit your whining, but no one wants to deal with this." Gajeel commented, going forth and opening the door. As the door opened, Gajeel turned back to Pantherlily and Juvia, who were waiting for them to enter so they could get set up for this. Pantherlily, before taking off, gave a word of caution.

"Be careful Gajeel, you could die in an instant down there." He warned as Gajeel nodded.

"I know. You two need to be ready for anything; we're not gonna be prepared for what's coming." Gajeel advised as Pantherlily and Juvia nodded in response. With that, the two gave each other some last words of encouragement before entering the thing as the four entered the portal while Pantherlily and Juvia headed straight to the control panel. From there, they would be able to help out Gajeel by watching them through a visual flat-map representation of the portal. They have to do whatever it takes to get that item, it being known as the Clock towards Agony. As the four entered, Gajeel locked the metal barricade behind him just in case something was to happen, shocking the rest of them.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Daniel shouted in surprise as Gajeel was quick to explain himself.

"If this thing was to go out of control, I want it to be contained in here for as long as possible. I'm not taking any risks with it." Gajeel explained as Daniel understood. It may have been quite a dangerous thing to do on their part, but it was the best thing they could do. With everything set up on their part, the group put their focus on the portal itself, the giant, massive swirl of destruction continuously moving before their eyes. They were all staring into the dark portal that continued on through an endless swirl, attracting frozen gazes to it with a powerful hypnotizing effect. Just staring at the giant swirl was enough to invoke a dark, deadly response within everyone about to go in; they couldn't just jump in, that would be insane. Yet, they couldn't slowly enter either, because they didn't, or should it be said that they couldn't, go inside.

"We absolutely have to enter this thing? We could easily be murdered! It's suicide!" Daniel yelled in shock, refusing to go in as the others took a small step back. Daniel's panicking only made Sophia more fearful of what could possibly be down there and it added to Kyousuke's uneasiness. As for Gajeel, despite his own refusal to enter as well, he knew that the group had no choice.

"It's either us going through that portal or watching it explode. I ain't about to stand here and watch us all die, so if we do, we're going to do it in there." Gajeel explained with a serious tone. There wasn't a hint of refusal within his voice, speaking with a tone reminiscent of black ice; mentioning the possibility of death made it even worse. Daniel only gulped in response, looking back at the portal with an intense gaze that was full of pure fear, something he had never experienced in a long time. Sophia was scared to death as well, shaking as she stood near it. It was a good thing that she was trying to convince herself of how important this was, despite how horrible it could turn out to be.

"I know it may kill us, but we have no other choice. If I'm going to die, it should at least be while I'm fighting for a greater cause." Sophia explained, still staring into the portal and foreboding the future. Even Kyousuke was fearful, an emotion he only experiences when on the verge of losing something important. He breathed heavily as he stared into the portal himself, becoming subjugated to its hypnotizing effects before snapping himself out of it and staring at it again. Kyousuke knew what would hurt him the most, and the thought of being forced to go through that horror made it very difficult for him to stay calm, as much as he tried. At that moment he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, looking up to his left to see Gajeel staring at him with a calm yet serious look on his face. Kyousuke could easily tell how important this was just by his demeanor, as if the portal itself wasn't enough to convey such.

"I'll be honest with you; I really don't want to go in." Kyousuke explained calmly, just as Gajeel listened. "However, I'll go in if it means stopping the empire. If it is that important to you, then I will accompany you."

"That's the spirit." Gajeel reassured, putting a grin on his face as he tried to lighten the mood. Knowing that Pantherlily and Juvia were back at the control panel ready, he prepared to set off. "Ready?" He questioned, just as everyone nodded in response. "Alright Lily, you know what to do."

"Roger that." Pantherlily stated, activating the console and inputting parameters to set it to the correct coordinates as Juvia assisted him. Eventually it was all ready. "Everything is set, prepare for takeoff."

"Good. Here goes nothing!" Gajeel shouted. He was the first to jump in as everyone else followed behind. The act of jumping into this menacing portal felt like their sanity was being ripped straight from them; the idea that they would ever dare to jump into such a menacing world. The portal itself looked the same as it did from the start, lasting for about a minute before the group eventually fell into a dark room and landed. They stood atop of a blue floor as they were surrounded by a room with blue walls and black windows, revealing nothing on the outside, just vacant darkness. It was dead silent; quiet enough to hear the blood pumping through their hearts.

"This room already scares me." Sophia said calmly, trying to remain under control. Just her voice sounded like the loudest thing ever, causing Daniel to jump somewhat thanks to all the tension. The energy the room emitted itself was dark and threatening, already putting the group under severe pressure as they stood back to back, looking around and trying to find anything that they might come across that would lead them to the finish, if there was one.

"Be careful," Pantherlily informed, "the portal itself has an inconsistent dimensional structure and lacks a physical foundation. This means that the environment you can be in can suddenly alter without warning and you could find yourself easily lost. Be thankful you have the Stable Vision Equipment on." Pantherlily explained. The Stable Vision Equipment was perhaps the most vital tool in their arsenal; this equipment was able to analyze the fluctuating structural instability within the portal and map out a stable structure and formation to the energetic fluctuations within the portal, allowing for a stable path through the portal. Without it, they could easily find themselves endlessly falling through endless dimensional shifts until they managed to fall through the portal's exit, or they would keep falling until they died. Therefore, having the equipment was the biggest factor. They were small eye-contacts that you could easily put in, so the need of huge bulky glasses was unnecessary, something Sophia was very thankful for.

"We got that. Just let me know if anything unusual shows up." Gajeel ordered as Pantherlily acknowledged such.

"The room we're in is unusual as it is." Daniel stuttered, standing amongst the group as they continued to stare on. They could hear nothing but themselves and their breaths as they stared into darkness.

"Wait, do you guys hear that?" Kyousuke pointed out, turning the group's attention to what was in front of him as they heard footsteps in that direction. It sounded like there was more than just one person heading in their direction, the footsteps getting louder as their inner tension grew.

"Dammit, who the hell are they?!" Sophia yelled in frustration. She couldn't just stand there as the fear inside her grew with each passing second.

"Does it really matter?" A voice questioned. Sophia widened her eyes in complete horror, it sounded exactly like her own but with a dead-pan tone. It wasn't long before everyone else looked on in terror when met with the instantly recognizable figures that approached them. Each one of them looked at one another face-to-face, horrified by what they saw.

"What?! It...it..."

"The idea of existence itself means nothing. If it is temporary, then nothing is made up of it, and there is no point to 'fulfilling it' as you like to think." Sophia said to Sophia. It was Sophia herself but much different. Her eyes resembled matte crystals, dull with very pale skin and a zombie-like demeanor. All her clothes mirrored the real Sophia, but her face and expression was different, and seeing that horrified Sophia.

"What the hell happened to me?! It can't be me!"

"I wish I could agree, but that's definitely us." Kyousuke pointed out, raising the bar on Sophia's shock as she was met with the rest of the team. Daniel looked like a psycho, wearing all the same clothes but having his eyes out of adjustment as he kept spinning his hair around while looking like a psychopath with psychotic tendencies. His tongue hung out of his mouth like he was a humanoid lizard as it flew around throwing drool all over the floor. In fact, they all wore the same clothing, but they looked horrifyingly different. Kyousuke in fact had large scars on his face and body, looking like he was brutalized and tortured, going at odds with the sadistic grin he had plastered onto his face with the evil eyes that accompanied them. He looked like he went mentally insane and became some sort of masochist and sadist, going to extreme levels of enjoyment by purposely cutting himself with the chokuto he had. Kyousuke couldn't believe what he was seeing; he was so horrified that it couldn't be said in words. "What the hell…" He said in shock. It wasn't long before he saw something that horrified him even further, attached to the Agon-Kyousuke's arm: a cuffed chain. "What the hell is that supposed to be?!" Kyousuke shouted in horror, watching in horror as Gajeel was also frozen in shock. No one had ever seen him in such a shocked state, sweat pouring down his face as his eyes widened, being unable to do anything but watch. It wasn't long before he saw what was supposed to be himself. Agon-Gajeel was the other one cuffed to the chain, both Kyousuke and Gajeel being bound together with no way to break apart. Gajeel had one scar on his face, the rest was just blood in the shape of fingers that he drug down his face. Blood dripped from his mouth as he had a sadistic grin scarier than Kyousuke's, his clothes being just as beat up and his hair being just as long, soaked in blood. Shockingly, Agon-Gajeel was the first to converse with the real Kyousuke.

"So how does it feel, seeing yourself loving a monster?" He said darkly, chuckling as Kyousuke widened his eyes and took a step back. He didn't want to see it, how could he see it? The person he loved most looked like a deranged beast, something that hurt him.

"Don't try to manipulate me; I'm not about to lose it right now!" Kyousuke yelled, Gajeel looking at Kyousuke in horror as Agon-Gajeel chuckled in amusement.

"There ain't no use in lying to yourself. You know that what you see is the truth, why don't I show you how much it hurts?" Agon-Gajeel taunted, proceeding to attack Agon-Kyousuke and torture him. He started by punching him in the face, prompting Agon-Kyousuke to fight back as they brutalized each other, trying to kill each other and inflict severe damage as they screamed at each other viciously. Kyousuke was paralyzed by the sight, put into so much terror that he couldn't move; he saw himself being abused and tormented by the one he loved most. Even through knowing that the real Gajeel was right next to him, he just couldn't rationalize what he was seeing, no matter how hard he tried. Gajeel couldn't take much more.

"I've had enough of your shit!" Gajeel yelled angrily, attempting to club the two only for them to split apart. Somehow, the length of their binding chains extended as Agon-Gajeel and Kyousuke took off after their real-life counterparts, immediately attacking and leaving them no chance to defend themselves. Within one magic-enhanced punch from both, they were sent flying into the walls painfully as they fell to the ground and tried getting back up. Kyousuke snapped out of his thoughts, getting up and requipping his chokuto in an attempt to attack Agon-Kyousuke and stop him.

"Is that all you've got?!" Kyousuke shouted, preparing to attack just as Agon-Kyousuke swept him off of his feet and kicked him away, forcing him to lose grip of his chokuto as he tried landing. Shockingly enough, he was too slow, only for Agon-Kyousuke to knee him in the midst of his landing as he was kicked up and barraged with a number of punches to the face continuously. Being unable to retort and forced to take the pain, Kyousuke was soon elbowed in the stomach by his counterpart before being slammed down onto the ground and brutally stomped on, forcing blood out of him as he already was suffering. Kyousuke looked at his counterpart in complete terror; he was being annihilated and was hyperventilating whilst suffering emotional pain all at once.

" _I can't even lay a single hit! I could die within seconds!"_ Kyousuke thought to himself in horror, just as Agon-Kyousuke threw him up in the air.

"The fact that you feel this way about him is pathetic; he doesn't give a crap about you. All he cares about is how valuable you are to the group." Agon-Kyousuke argued, sending him spinning with a round-house kick as Kyousuke fell to the ground and slid away, leaving a streak of blood on the ground as he tried to get up. With as beat up as he already was, he could barely muster any strength.

"GAJEEL! KYOUSUKE!" Sophia screamed out in horror, stuck as Agon-Sophia crystallized her and took her to an entirely new dimension of her own. Being surrounded by the dull pink horror of the crystal, she was forced to endlessly stare at a crystallized Sophia before her, paralyzed as she was barraged with crystals. Screaming in pain, she suddenly stopped when Daniel called out to her and snapped out of it, realizing that nothing really happened. She was still staring at the Agon-Sophia standing before her, only for Sophia to smirk as she looked at her determined. "An illusion. I hope you aren't attempting to use that against…" She explained until she suddenly burst out in pain. The wounds that should've appeared during that barraged finally showed up, prompting Sophia to fall to the ground screaming in excruciating pain as Agon-Sophia stood there and watched.

"Always a slave to time, am I right? Don't you just HATE how it never ends, how it keeps going on and on and on and on and never stops? It just keeps going, just like your life will." Agon-Sophia explained as Sophia tried to block it out. The way she emphasized HATE was downright horrifying, and it was enough to get Sophia to start going through a mental crisis while dealing with this. Daniel was also met with a scary predicament, preparing to attack Agon-Daniel with his Acid Whip before being barraged by acid by the psycho.

"TOO SLOW! SPEED IT UP A BIT! I'M WAITING!" Agon-Daniel screamed, grabbing Daniel with his acid whip instantaneously and spinning him around at an extremely high speed. It was fast enough to possibly create a dimensional shift, but because it stopped at one exact moment, his insides were ruptured at the extreme g-force and he fell to the ground, throwing up lots of blood and screaming in pain as he could barely move. It was as if he was slammed into a brick wall with incredible force, almost feeling his bones bend and nearly crack from the attack. Coughing up blood, he could see his reflection become distorted into his psycho-self as he sat there and took the agony.

"We're all struggling to just survive! How the hell are we ever going to accomplish the mission?!" Daniel thought to himself in disbelief. The fact that they could barely even stand was crushing their determination and making their success impossible. Even Gajeel, who should've been able to survive the longest, was being completely annihilated by his counterpart. After being thrown against the wall and brutally punched in the stomach with an Iron Dragon's Hard Fist, Gajeel was sent flying into the ground with another hard fist by Agon-Gajeel, who was laughing sadistically at his torture.

"Of course a scumbag like you would put yourself as this group's leader. Why don't you just accept that you're just pathetic and WEAK?!" Agon-Gajeel yelled viciously, prompting a vicious response from Gajeel who attempted to attack with his own Iron Dragon's Hard Fist by activating his iron dragon scales. However, they were quickly sheathed as he missed with the punch and was barraged by Agon-Gajeel. He was grabbed and thrown against the wall tens of times, being used as a punching bag and being held up by his neck as blood dripped on him. Using his hair, Agon-Gajeel whipped the real Gajeel around and slammed him against the wall, treating him like a rag-doll much like he would with Agon-Kyousuke. Even Gajeel's own screams became faint as he soon stopped, being held up again as he became silent, his personality killed by the brutality. The Gajeel that his monster-like counterpart was holding now looked like a corpse covered in blood. Gajeel was unresponsive, and he was simply dropped and left on the ground. Kyousuke, being brutalized enough, slowly turned his head to see Gajeel just lying down on the ground, face-down and not getting up. He didn't move as blood flowed from him, just lying there as if he was dead. The fact that Kyousuke couldn't even move felt like a sword going through his chest, and even though Kyousuke wanted to scream and cry bloody terror, he physically couldn't do it. Agon-Gajeel just made fun of him.

"Gutter trash huh? Fits you pretty well. Why don't you just lie there and think about how worthless you are. Nobody wants you anyways; the guild you went to only took you in because they felt bad about letting a poor soul like you rot away."

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT; NOBODY TALKS TO HIM LIKE THAT AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!" Sophia screamed angrily, forcing herself up from her rage. She was so angry that she could cause an earthquake from her anger. As she was about to head for Agon-Gajeel, she was suddenly barraged by Agon-Sophia once again, forced to deal with the "pain-delay" as she ran to him and collapsed in front of him, screaming. "GOD DAMMIT NO! I HATE YOU! HE NEEDS MY HELP!" She screamed viciously, crying from the pain that she suffered. To Agon-Sophia, it was nothing more than uselessness.

"Time keeps going Sophia; your past doesn't get any farther behind. Yet you just don't have the time to save your friends, you're spending all your time screaming over them." Agon-Sophia reminded her, emotionally tormenting her as Daniel was already suffering in the hands of the psycho Daniel. Kyousuke couldn't bear to see Gajeel the way he was, yet he couldn't even do anything. His heart sank, and to him it felt like he should just toss it anyways.

"Ga... …. ….el. Do….oo…n..nn'….t gg…g.o..oo." Kyousuke slowly stuttered, slowly reaching out to him as he just saw him face flat on the ground. Before he could do anything, Agon-Kyousuke snatched him up and stabbed him in the stomach with his own chokuto, prompting him to scream out in pain as blood poured from his mouth and he breathed heavily.

"I should've known you'd be this pathetic. Who would've believed that you needed someone like him? He can't even stand up to himself, just shows that you're pathetic waste." Agon-Kyousuke tormented, holding Kyousuke up as his breathing soon slowed down and eventually stopped, him being held by Agon-Kyousuke like a lifeless body as Gajeel's ears perked. "I'm done with you. Live on knowing how much of a waste you are." Agon-Kyousuke taunted, just as another dimension opened up. With a green stream of liquid like a sewage moving on and on, Agon-Kyousuke tossed his counterpart into the stream and watched as Kyousuke fell in and floated about, leaving everyone to be lost for eternity. Sophia noticed and screamed out.

"KYOUSUKE! NOOOOO!" She screamed, attempting to jump after him only for the pain-delay to take over again and ultimately stop her. "AGHHH, GO TO HELL YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" She screamed in rage, doing nothing for her. Daniel noticed and attempted to save him himself, only for psycho Daniel to spin him again and severely damage him once again. At that moment, all hope was lost; any chance of survival was ultimately destroyed. In that moment, the dimension was beginning to close, sealing Kyousuke away forever as he was soon to be lost and forgotten. At that exact second, Gajeel suddenly became covered in iron as spikes protruded from himself, piercing both Agon-Gajeel and Kyousuke as they were paralyzed by the damage, unable to understand it as they both simply froze, just like a broken video game. Perhaps the portal couldn't react to Gajeel's instinctual reaction. Gajeel then quickly jumped up, blood pouring down him as discarded all of his clothing (torso-only) and took off. Agon-Gajeel and Kyousuke both watched Gajeel in amusement, watching as he pulled out his beam and managed to split the dimension open again, just in time for him to fall inside and get to Kyousuke. Sophia and Daniel were horrified at the sight they saw, but soon were distracted and forced to focus on the more pressing issue, their own lives. Gajeel, on the other hand, didn't care. He didn't care about the scorching pain he felt through every single limb of his body, nor did he care about the physical condition he was in. He wanted to save Kyousuke, and that's just what he was going to do.

"DAMMIT! GET THE HELL BACK HERE! I'M NOT LETTING YOU LEAVE ME!" Gajeel screamed out in horror, quickly pushing himself through the green liquid and getting closer to Kyousuke as he lied in the liquid, drifting through the stream. Gajeel swam to him with every stroke, despite how much pain he was in and how much he wanted to protect himself. He didn't though, and it was because Kyousuke was more important. "I PROMISE WE'LL GET OUT OF THIS ALIVE, JUST DON'T GO! YOU'RE BETTER THAN THIS!" Gajeel screamed once more, getting even closer with every stroke. " _I need you."_ He thought to Kyousuke in his mind. Eventually, he got to Kyousuke and grabbed him, holding onto him tightly as he pulled out a black and white swirled object that he kept for emergency purposes. "We're getting out of this! This time, it's not just me." Gajeel said calmly, activating the ball and pulling himself into a separate dimension known as a "frozen clock". Here, everything would be in eternal bliss, but it would be stagnant. Gajeel and Kyousuke would be the only ones still affected by the normal flow of time.

Sitting in the dimension, Gajeel sat down and held Kyousuke up against him, soon holding him in his lap as he looked at him calmly. He was afraid of him going and it was evident enough. Holding him the way he was, he gently caressed the side of his face, seeing how he was in horrible condition. He really did care for him, but now he was angry, with himself.

"Don't die on me kid, you mean everything to me. If you go like this, it'll be the end." Gajeel explained sadly. He was horribly upset by what had happened, and he doesn't even know if Sophia and Daniel are alive still. The idea of entering the Agon-Count, he regretted it all. He knew that this wasn't going to be easy, but the amount of devastation that hit him in this thing was enough to break anyone. As he took care of Kyousuke, he could hear Pantherlily calling into him.

"Are you alright?! What the hell is happening down there?!" Pantherlily pressed immediately. He must've heard and/or saw the disaster that took place, and it was enough to put him into a state of high concern. Gajeel sighed before responding, worn out by it all.

"I'm surprised we're not dead yet. Kyousuke was almost killed but he's fine thanks to me, everyone else is stuck in the portal. I'm in the frozen clock." Gajeel explained, just as Pantherlily was about to say something.

"You need to get out of there fast, the Agon-Count has pe…." Pantherlily started to explain. Suddenly, the audio turned into static noise as Gajeel's eyes widened, trying to tune his headset to get back to him.

"Pantherlily! Come in! Pantherlily!" Gajeel yelled to no avail. With that, he gave up on trying to tune in and felt like something was off. Something wasn't right, but there wasn't anything he could do about it in his current state. "This is all I need." Gajeel said sarcastically, sighing as he wondered what the hell could be happening in there.

"Gajeel." Kyousuke weakly said, getting his attention as he instantly did whatever he needed. He helped Kyousuke up and tried to get him to sit up, only for him to fall onto his chest instead and push him down, having him lie flat as Kyousuke was on top of him. It wasn't long before he then lied next to him and stared at him, the two staring at each other with so much going through their minds. It seemed as if Kyousuke was trying to reach for something in his back pocket, strangely enough, trying to get back there as Gajeel held him up in order to make it easier for him. "I…" Kyousuke uttered very quietly, trying to move around as he managed to grab something from his back pocket. Seeing this, Gajeel suddenly felt something was off, and within just a few seconds, Gajeel was fast and alert enough to grab Kyousuke's arm and prevent him from stabbing him in the chest with a combat knife. Within seconds scars on Kyousuke's face came to life and Kyousuke lunged at Gajeel as the latter managed to side-swipe him and send him flying, prompting Kyousuke to flip back and land on his feet as a result. The Kyousuke standing before Gajeel, proving to be Agon-Kyousuke, shot Gajeel a twisted glare, the sort that made it seem like he had Gajeel wrapped around his finger. He started to laugh hysterically in front of him, so much it seemed as if there was something trying to jump out of his body and prompted a confused look from Gajeel before he calmed down and gave him a serious look with his head tilted to the side.

"Blinded by feelings huh?" Agon-Kyousuke uttered, prompting a further perplexed reaction from Gajeel, who was angry enough already.

"Huh? What are you going on about?"

"Oh come on, you can't be serious. If there's anyone within the Stealth Overdrive force that is intelligent enough to understand it would be you, I mean, if it was this easy to fool you into believing that it was really me, then I guess I shouldn't have believed you to be as astute as I thought." Agon-Kyousuke explained. Gajeel widened his eyes just slightly upon realizing that he had accidentally managed to bring the Agon-Count itself into the frozen clock, but soon kept calm and focused on Agon-Kyousuke once again. The latter simply pulled out his chokuto and twirled it around as he paced back and forth, thinking about all of the possible things that might be going through Gajeel's very own head. "Let's be real here, I know everything about what you've experienced thus far, especially with your 'little moment' you shared with him, or me, you know." Agon-Kyousuke brought up, prompting Gajeel to remember that moment; it was so clear within his own mind. Such a deep and heartfelt moment that he didn't want to forget. Agon-Kyousuke went on, "He's supposed to be like you, he's supposed to understand how you feel and vice versa, BUT, there's something you know that he doesn't." Agon Kyousuke reminded him. Gajeel knew exactly what he was talking about, but wasn't willing to engage in discussion over the matter; there was no need for it.

"Why does it matter?" Gajeel questioned out of curiosity, knowing in the back of his head that this was just the portal itself trying to mentally harass him, watching as Agon-Kyousuke took the chokuto and cut into his arm, letting it bleed and provoke Gajeel as each trickle of blood went drip-drop-drip-drop.

"This blood right here...it's kind of like a clock, each drop representing a second and each second representing a fraction of time you have left." Agon-Kyousuke put forth. Gajeel tried to keep his cool, wanting to believe that what he was saying wasn't what he was thinking internally, standing his ground and keeping his focus on Agon-Kyousuke just in case he may pull a move on him. The blood kept dripping and, in Agon-Kyousuke's words, acted as the timer. With each drop of blood came an increasing sense of fear, growing with every second that passed with what that blood represented. In no time at all, the blood stopped and the cut hardened into a permanent scar, following with Gajeel taking off at Agon-Kyousuke. Agon-Kyousuke swung at him with the chokuto in hand, but Gajeel dodged it and managed to hit him with his Iron Dragon's Sword. However, with this attack, the sword went right through Agon-Kyousuke and cut his torso in half, ripping his chest apart as Agon-Kyousuke's face was replaced with pure utter horror, much to Gajeel's terror. His face looked exactly like the real Kyousuke's, which made it more horrifying. It wasn't what Gajeel had in mind, it was something much worse. As his sword penetrated his chest, Agon-Kyousuke soon dissipated into the air as a black smoke with the dimension itself collapsing on Gajeel. He was forced to escape into the main sector of the portal in order to escape death. Coming up with a strategy, Gajeel quickly coated himself within the Cloak of Nocturne and warped himself out of the dimension, landing himself back into the main sector where they first landed initially. As Gajeel took a moment to identify his surroundings, he was quickly brought to a grotesque and frightening image.

"Hell no…am I too late?" Gajeel questioned fearfully as he saw his teammates in brutal condition. Daniel and Sophia were covered in cuts and scars, pools of blood here and there as they were just barely able to crawl on the ground before them. They struggled desperately to get up as their counterparts just stared them down, watching them to see if they could get up. It was like they were doing some sort of experiment; how much could a human take before dying off? Seeing the two of them in this state nearly paralyzed him; he had to force himself to move in order to not get caught up in the horror that presented itself and to stay calm. Surprisingly enough, he didn't see Agon-Kyousuke, but he did see his Kyousuke trying to move and get up. Did he kill Agon-Kyousuke somehow? Kyousuke started calling out to him as Gajeel quickly put his attention on him, about to rush to his side as Kyousuke tried getting up.

"Gajeel! Help me, please!" Kyousuke shouted desperately, reaching out to him in pure desperation as if he was fading. He was covered in blood and battered thanks to all that happened, and without a second thought Gajeel was going to go after him.

"Don't be ridiculous, do you really think it's him?!" Agon-Gajeel shouted as he came at Gajeel. Gajeel managed to defend himself by blocking the attack, having been caught at the wrong time. He wasn't about to deal with him at this point in time, he was not in the mood for any of this crap being further pulled on him; he had enough.

"Shut your mouth!" He shouted, attacking Agon-Gajeel with an Iron Dragon's Club as Agon-Gajeel managed to dodge it and evade the attack by ducking down low, getting back up and preparing to attack with his Iron Dragon's Sword as Gajeel managed to block it with his Iron Dragon Scales. The two looked each other in the eyes with the fiercest of expressions as they battled with one another, Gajeel somehow suddenly able to hold his own. Agon-Gajeel continued to try getting into his head by further explaining his dilemma.

"Why don't you just accept it; everyone hates you. If anyone knows anything about hatred and being an outcast it should be you, after all you still distrust your own comrades here." Agon-Gajeel explained, being sure everyone else was listening as Gajeel held his own, getting more frustrated with Agon-Gajeel as he swung his arm away. Sophia and Daniel only felt slight confusion, but Kyousuke listened and tuned into it all. Agon-Gajeel swung the blade the other way, only for Gajeel to block it again with the other arm and hold his own once more.

"That's a load of crap and you know it!" Gajeel shouted back in response, to which Agon-Gajeel simply laughed at him. The statement to him was as hilarious as this "shenanigan" with this Stealth Overdrive force he pulled.

"What the hell do you mean 'I know it'? Even back at Fairy Tail you had to fight tooth and nail just to get them to trust you but even so, you still were the one that was underestimated and perhaps thought of as the weakest of the best. You even fooled your own ass into believing such bullshit."

"All that crap's in the past; what I dealt with before isn't what I'm dealing with now!"

"Exactly!" Agon-Gajeel explicitly stated, surprising Gajeel and actually getting his undivided attention on the matter.

"Huh? What the hell does that mean?"

"If you wanted to, you could've killed off everyone within that garbage-infested guild you joined, believing all of that sentimental crap that senile Makarov brainwashed you with! The only reason people hated you is because they don't understand you and what you really are, and in reality they can't handle the truth that deep down you're just a raging, psychotic monster!" Agon-Gajeel argued, pushing Gajeel back as Gajeel slid back and got caught up in what he was saying. As he landed from the attack, he stood there silently as Agon-Gajeel made no attempts to go after him, simply watching him with a sadistic grin glued to his face. Gajeel couldn't help but funnel what he just said through his mind.

" _Deep down you're just a raging, psychotic monster!"_ Echoed through his head. It slowly creeped back to him as he remembered all of the things he did; the time he brutally attacked Team Shadow Gear, the times he's broken out into a vicious rage he couldn't control, the amount of apathy he held for others and his enjoyment from torturing them. It wasn't the fact that he was a monster that scared him; he knew what he was from top to bottom. What he really feared was losing everything he had simply because of it. Agon-Gajeel continued to hammer the point in.

"What people love about you is the facade you put on, they don't love you! Don't you get it; everyone lives in a world of lies and only loves you because you choose to be nice, to help them out. Not even your teammates could handle you in your rage!" Agon-Gajeel hammered in, prompting Gajeel to remember how his team freaked out over his rage against Midnight. Who was he supposed to truly trust? His teammates care for him now, but is it the leadership facade he puts on in order to hide his true self? Was he born into this world simply to experience hatred from everyone? A constant battle he continued to fight each and every day, the very thought of it all started to make him break, the voices in his head growing louder and the temptation towards letting it all go beginning to grab ahold of him again. He was succumbing to it all, kneeling down and putting his hands on his head as he started breathing heavier.

" _Can anyone really love a monster like me?"_ He questioned himself, being easily influenced by the portal and succumbing to himself. Kyousuke, watching, couldn't let him believe what he was hearing.

"God dammit no! You can't believe what he's telling you Gajeel! Listen to me, I know deep down that you're not perfect but that's okay, because I love you for that. He only wants you to believe that everybody hates you so he can control you; he's trying to manipulate you!" Kyousuke angrily shouted, slamming his fist on the ground and forcing himself up as Gajeel turned to him in shock. Agon-Gajeel angrily stared at him as Kyousuke got up and managed to stand on his own. He surprised Gajeel with his statement and persistence while Agon-Gajeel did nothing but chuckle at Kyousuke.

"Do you really believe he cares about you the way you want him to? He's never been good at caring about people, but you on the other hand are a pathetic excuse. You're only an asset to him and are stupid enough to believe in your own lies." Agon-Gajeel argued, to which Kyousuke spat at. Kyousuke only continued on with what he was going to say.

"You act like I don't know about hiding under 'facades'. In fact, everyone hides under a facade. Who we truly are deep down may seem to be never known to anyone, but honestly I don't believe it for a second." Kyousuke explained, trying to walk over to Gajeel as Agon-Gajeel just laughed hysterically in response. Kyousuke just spat at him as he walked to Gajeel, Agon-Gajeel deciding to screw with Kyousuke too.

"What do you know? All you've been is a failure; how you've gotten this far is beyond me."

"That's not what this is about, don't you listen?" Kyousuke shouted, earning no response as he continued. He slowly took steps towards Gajeel, getting closer to him with each step as he continued on with what he was saying. "Loving someone is not as simple as choosing to protect them and be by their side at all costs. There's more to it than that; there's a fundamental understanding of that person and who they are. I choose to love Gajeel because he knows the answers to everything I've been questioning; he knows how to fix me." Kyousuke explained, calming Gajeel down and helping him out by bringing him back to his senses. Kyousuke managed to walk over and kneel down behind him, putting his hands on his shoulders and laying his head on his right shoulder as he looked Agon-Gajeel right in the eyes, easily picking up on all the hatred that was contained within him and all the insanity that wreaked havoc within his insides. As he continued on with what he said, he transferred the electrical energy within him to Gajeel so Gajeel could finish him off, setting up a plan in the process. "I give Gajeel the power to eradicate me within a second for him to just be here with me. I could never live on my own without him; I have tried before and I have failed miserably. I owe everything to him for the things he's done for me out of himself." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel felt this strong sense of warmth course within him, it increasing substantially as Kyousuke lied his head on Gajeel's neck, angering Agon-Gajeel considerably, which was a shock. The energy from Kyousuke coursed through Gajeel's insides, but the warmth of Kyousuke's compassion for him felt so much better to him than the energy that made him feel stronger.

"If there's anything you need to know, it's this. This monster is the only thing I choose to live for in this life, and if there's anything I know about him, it's that what he has done and who he chooses to live as is what shows me that he truly cares about me. The entire world could hate him and I still would kill myself if it meant keeping him alive at all costs. You can't sever us." Kyousuke explained with a pure, heart-felt passion that he hasn't fully expressed before. With that explanation along, Gajeel was in such pure shock and bliss that he couldn't help but crack a grin in response, feeling determined and confident now. Those words and the reaction it caused inside of Gajeel caused Agon-Gajeel to mentally go insane and start screaming hysterically. Without moving a muscle, everyone from the team watched as Agon-Gajeel lost his mind, his scream morphing into that of a demonic echo as Gajeel's voice was no longer recognizable from him. At that exact moment, Gajeel instantly got up and charged right at Agon-Gajeel, who seemed to be getting ready to obliterate everyone within the vicinity with one powerful attack.

"YOU WILL ALL BE KILLED, I'LL MURDER YOU!" He screamed in a demonic voice. Agon-Gajeel stood back and prepared to fire off his own Iron Dragon's Roar, powerful enough to kill everyone in the room with one blast. Ready to fire, Agon-Gajeel pulled back and prepared to fire, watching Gajeel instantly move from Kyousuke to him and stab him in the stomach with an electrically-enhance Iron Dragon's Sword. Cutting right through his stomach, he cut him in half and watched as Agon-Gajeel started to warp from reality. Without much time passing by, Agon-Gajeel turned into a pure shade of black and exploded in several pieces, bursting within the air and dissipating into it as the other two remaining agon-members did the same. They all dissipated instantly, leaving the group with themselves in the portal to retrieve the last piece. Kyousuke sighed out of relief as Sophia and Daniel slowly got up, Gajeel looking over to see how they were holding up.

"It's about time that we get somewhere." Gajeel sighed in relief, finally free from the disaster they were stuck in. Sophia got herself up, slowly walking over as Daniel followed.

"We went through all that and we still don't have the Clock towards Agony. I'm done!" Sophia complained, prompting the others to sigh at her response. As battered and beaten as they were, looking for an object wasn't going to be easy and that was something they all could agree on. Suddenly, without much time passing, the portal itself shattered and started to warp. Everyone looked on with complete shock in their eyes as they suddenly were pulled from the ground and shot into the air. Unable to do anything at all, the four group members left there were warped into an entirely new dimension as they were sucked into it helplessly and shot out of it at light speed. Not even a minute passed and the entire team was sent back out of the portal, back into the room where they all waited before jumping into it, landing on the ground painfully. Not many seconds passed until the portal itself shattered, breaking down and disappearing entirely as each shattered piece faded into the air. The portal no longer existed, being replaced by the metal floor in the ground that surrounded it. If there was anything to be happy about, it was in Gajeel's hand. It was exactly what he was looking for in the portal itself, the Clock towards Agony. It was a silver clock with a red, moving inner circle that looked like a small dimensional portal in it, plated with a silver lining and a golden print for the numbers on the clock. The four just lied there on the ground, unable to get up and move for a bit as Pantherlily and Juvia soon came running into the room.

"You made it back! How did it go?" Pantherlily shouted, his expression turning to that of pure shock along with Juvia's as they witnessed the horrible condition they were in. Speechless, they watched as Gajeel got up and walked over to him, giving him the clock and going back to help everyone else up.

"Put that somewhere where only I will find it. We're gonna need a few days to recover, that portal screwed us in the head." Gajeel explained, just as Pantherlily nodded in response. Juvia ran over to help Sophia and Daniel up as Gajeel pulled Kyousuke onto his feet. With that, the group put the clock away somewhere where only Gajeel and Pantherlily would find it and headed off to the medical room. The portal messed with them on inconceivable levels, and they needed to recover from that. The good thing was, they were a step ahead of the Empire, and that was something to be proud of.


	23. Chapter 23: Recovery

_Chapter 23: Recovery_

After what had happened with the Agon-Count, the group needed some time to recover. They needed to get their minds back on track and heal from the mental torture they were put through, along with the physical damage they endured. They were in really bad condition. They all were bandaged up from top to bottom, had trouble with just walking and would emotionally break down from time to time, out of the blue for no real reason at all. This was a day for getting things back on track, and it was a good thing that Gajeel made this decision; he too wasn't even functioning properly.

Sophia was a complete wreck; she looked like she had just rolled out of bed after sleeping for 14 hours and had zero motivation. She walked around like a zombie as she went back and forth from the fridge to the couch, being so mentally drained that she couldn't think straight. Walking at least helped her deal with it, she was too tired to be tired. Daniel was much the same, lying on the couch just staring at the ceiling endlessly, frozen like an ice cube. His eyes would dart around the room from time to time, but other than that he was so physically beat and stressed that his body couldn't handle basic movements such as walking. It was lucky for him that he let himself rest his body or he would've entered a coma, despite being unable to sleep period. That feeling of being so tired that you can't even sleep is painful enough. Pantherlily and Juvia helped the two out from time to time, making sure they were okay. Gajeel shut himself in his room and made sure no one would enter and Kyousuke was lying on the floor in front of Gajeel's door, face to the ground. That's dedication for you. Both Pantherlily and Juvia were completely shocked at the amount of physical and mental trauma they both endured; it was lucky that they even came out alive. Juvia was kneeling down next to Daniel making sure he was alright; it was the least she could do having been here this whole time.

"Is there anything I can get you?" She asked him, having to wait a few seconds before he responded. He could barely even talk properly.

"Nooooo... I... ..need.d. Res.. ..ttt.." He responded weakly, not moving a single muscle and lying there. Juvia got up and walked over to Pantherlily, letting Daniel rest as she talked with him about the situation.

"I didn't think they were going to come back out so injured; what in the world happened in there?" Juvia stated with shock, Pantherlily having his arms crossed as he watched Sophia attempt to open the fridge to get some milk.

"Entering that portal was almost like having a death wish, but they had no choice. I'm shocked that they made it out alive, as much as I hate to say it." Pantherlily said in a serious tone. Even though the group had to do it, Pantherlily was deeply afraid that they wouldn't have survived. Despite that, Gajeel made the order, and he knew then that there was nothing he could do to stop it. Juvia turned and looked at Sophia as she approached the two with a milk carton in her hand, watching as Sophia attempted to drink it straight from the carton. At this point it didn't matter to her anymore, she needed something.

"I could say the same myself; I just hope they will be alright." Juvia worried aloud, watching Sophia drink the carton. Her severe lack of physical strength made her spill the milk all over her face, soon dropping the carton on the ground as milk spilled all over the floor. She slowly looked down at the floor with her hand still in the air, feeling upset at that.

"Ah...crap," Sophia stated weakly, making no attempt to pick it back up as she just stared at it. Pantherlily narrowed his eyes as Juvia sighed in response, prompting Pantherlily to respond.

"You need to lay down and rest; you are in no condition to be walking around as you are," Pantherlily suggested, prompting Sophia to slowly look up and respond.

"That sounds absolutely horrible right now, I already can't think straight," Sophia responded, prompting Juvia to respond in agreement with Pantherlily.

"He's right; you need to rest. It's lucky enough that you can walk in the state you're in." Juvia encouraged with no results. Sophia just sighed in response as she continued on.

"The only reason...we're so weak right now is the portal. It...siphoned our energy and that's what made it harder for us. Even Gajeel can barely handle it. At least by walking around, I can keep myself occupied or something." Sophia explained weakly, slowly walking past Pantherlily and Juvia to the couch again as they just watched her, unable to convince her to stop. Pantherlily just shook his head in frustration as Juvia watched with concern. The only thing they could do was help out when needed, so that's what they did.

Meanwhile, as Kyousuke lied on the ground, Gajeel's door soon opened, revealing a physically battered Gajeel step out in front of him with grey shorts shirtless. He looked like he was going through major depression, the stress being plastered all over his face as he looked down at Kyousuke and just stared. Kyousuke did the same, looking up at him and just lying there not moving a muscle.

"Kid...you need to sleep. Why the hell are you on the floor?" Gajeel said weakly, looking at him as Kyousuke didn't move.

"Gajeel...please promise me we will never do that ever again. I feel like I was crushed by a massive boulder and was just left there." Kyousuke weakly requested as Gajeel responded.

"You can count on that." He confirmed, simply staring at him. He knew that Kyousuke was in bad shape like he was, and he didn't like seeing him lying on the ground. "So why the hell are you on the floor?"

"I was going to get in bed, but I just followed you to your door out of habit," Kyousuke explained, lying there as Gajeel just stared at him. As much as Gajeel tried to mentally think it through, he wasn't going anywhere. Eventually, he got fed up with him sleeping on the floor and did something about it, even in his condition.

"Get up and come in; you're not sleeping on the floor," Gajeel told him, watching Kyousuke as he just stared at him, not moving at all.

"Gajeeeelllllll…whyyyyyyyy..." Kyousuke said stressed, only annoying Gajeel.

"Quit whining and get in here. If I weren't so screwed up I would drag you in here myself." Gajeel ordered weakly, prompting Kyousuke to slowly move around the floor as he tried to get up.

"Alright...hold on," Kyousuke said, slowly using both arms to push himself up and slowly stand up, walking over to Gajeel as he put an arm around his shoulder and walked him in, shutting the door behind him and revealing his room.

The whole room was a dark red, having the whole lower section of the wall stick out and act as a shelf that circled the room. Kyousuke, looking up, saw the picture of the group that Gajeel had sitting there, looking at himself and everyone in the picture. He looked so happy and alive there, something that Kyousuke himself started to feel surprised at. Kyousuke started to question it, surprised that he this is how he felt being here and that the pain he had in the past didn't affect him like it used to. While it surprised him, it also made him happy, feeling a little better as Gajeel slowly walked him into the room. He walked him to his bed, pulling the sheets back as Kyousuke looked up at him slowly. Gajeel looked at him and pointed at the bed.

"Get in." He told him, Kyousuke being surprised.

"Wait, what? Are...you ready for...this? I know we just..."

"Shut up, we're already past that stage kid, you know that. Just get in." Gajeel ordered, to which Kyousuke proceeded. Even though he felt shocked, Kyousuke did as he was told and went to get in the bed. As he moved in, Gajeel grabbed his long-coat and pulled it off, throwing it on the ground as Kyousuke got in the bed. Realizing what Gajeel did, Kyousuke turned and looked at him in surprise as Gajeel soon got into bed with him, further surprising him. He went and grabbed the shirt that he wore underneath the long-coat, pulling it off too as Kyousuke was then shirtless, sitting in bed with surprise as he stared at Gajeel, starting to blush. He then realized that Gajeel wanted him to do this.

"You...wanted me to sleep with you?" Kyousuke said, watching as Gajeel pulled him down into the bed and had him lie down. The room was dimly lit with candles that Gajeel must've lit earlier, so it was the perfect setting and somehow even though it was Gajeel's room and that energy could be felt, it was also seemingly romantic. Gajeel didn't say a word in response, simply choosing to intuitively communicate as they both stared at each other. He knew exactly what he was doing, and Kyousuke enjoyed every minute of it. Even though they both were physically battered, their connection was stronger than ever. The two stared at each other without saying a word, falling to sleep within each other's arms. If anything felt more restful than his own bed it was this.

Outside of their room, Sophia walked to the couch one last time before falling over onto the ground face-flat and passing out, finally. With both Pantherlily and Juvia watching, they looked at each other and then got her, picking her up and taking her to her bedroom. The two put her to rest and let her sleep, getting her energy back as the others did. As Juvia pulled up the covers, Pantherlily turned the light off and the two left the room, closing the door behind them and heading out. They both went to their own rooms and did their own thing, which was basically letting this whole thing simmer in their mind along with other thoughts that concerned them. It wasn't long before they too napped as time went by, it was hours before anyone else woke up.

* * *

Kyousuke's eyes opened, scanning the room around him. He woke up, but he found himself in a large dark space. There was nothing he could see from where he was; everything was black. He pushed himself up onto his feet, feeling as if he never went into that portal in the first place, looking around and scanning the black space as he tried figuring out what was going on.

"Where am I?" He asked himself, looking around and seeing nothing. He went to take a step forward, only for a bright light to push him back. He stumbled backward and fell onto the ground, looking up and witnessing a large, electric blue substance before him. It flew up and out of the ground, twisting upwards in circles as it soon expanded outward. Kyousuke watched as the substance tried to take on some form that he couldn't make up.

"What the hell is that?" He questioned to himself, focused on the substance as it took form. The strange substance eventually took the form of a dragon, only for Kyousuke to realize that it was his Plasma Magic taking form. Unable to move from where he was at, the Dragon stared him down with its powerfully white glowing eyes before it attacked him, sending him flying down into the ground. Falling through the black space of nothingness, Kyousuke eventually hit the ground on his side, quickly getting up and looking around. It was like he was helpless, he had no idea where he was and what was happening. With things becoming tenser, he looked around and tried to see if he could find anything. Within a few seconds, he saw something strange lying on the ground, immediately running after it to figure out what it was. Upon approaching it, he realized that it was the group, all still. It all looked like they were either asleep or dead, but Kyousuke couldn't feel any energy emanating from them. They seemed like corpses. He ran to Sophia and tried waking her up.

"Sophia, get up! What are you doing?!" Kyousuke shouted to no avail. He ran to Daniel and did the same, to no avail, as with Pantherlily. Eventually, as he ran to Gajeel to do the same once more, he heard a ferocious roar in the distance, turning and seeing the plasma beast come after him. Panic was sent through his system as he focused back on Gajeel.

"Shit, I have to get out of here!" Kyousuke said in frustration, only for him to stop as he saw everyone start sinking into the ground, disappearing from his view as the dragon came closer.

"What is happening?!" Kyousuke shouted, watching as Sophia and Daniel sank into the darkness and disappeared. Watching as everyone else did the same, he went to Gajeel and grabbed him, putting him on his back and running off with him. He could hear the dragon approaching as it roared louder and louder. The fear of being caught grew in him as if the fear of everyone being helpless wasn't enough. Taking off, he just ran aimlessly, not knowing where to go. It wasn't long before he saw a metal door in front of him like back at the base, immediately heading after it and running inside. He found himself in a large metal hallway, almost like some kind of laboratory. Setting Gajeel down, he turned around and shut the door, locking it shut as he turned back to Gajeel and tried to wake him up.

"Gajeel, wake up! You can't be…" Kyousuke said, slowly stopping as he realized his voice was much higher-pitched than before. He looked at his hands and clothes, realizing that his long-coat was gone and that he was much shorter and smaller than before. It wasn't long before he realized that he was a child again, looking around in shock as he heard that roar once again. He felt terrified, starting to shake as he continued to yell for Gajeel to wake up despite his condition.

"You need to wake up; we're going to die, that thing's going to kill us! Please!" He said, slapping him in the face and shaking him to wake him up. Within seconds he could feel a strange presence behind him, turning around and watching as Sophia, Daniel, and Pantherlily were all glowing that same color as the dragon. It was like the dragon infected them all and turned them all blue with white eyes. Staring Kyousuke down, who was now a child, he backed into Gajeel as he held his arms out, terrified and unable to do anything. He tried to use him as protection, but he felt lifeless and that made Kyousuke feel alone. Without any time passing, the dragon took off after Kyousuke, heading straight for him as he started screaming in terror, unable to do anything.

* * *

Kyousuke then shot up out of bed, breathing heavily as he looked around and realized he was in Gajeel's room again. The scream from the dream echoed in his head, and it took him a minute to come out of it. From seeing the room, he realized that it was just a bad dream, breathing heavily as his breathing slowly came back to normal. As he came back to his senses, Gajeel soon pulled himself up out of bed, looking at Kyousuke with a perplexed look on his face.

"What's up with you? Have a nightmare or something?" Gajeel questioned, watching as Kyousuke put a hand on his forehead. He must've accidentally woke him up, but he didn't seem to bother by it. He calmed down a little bit and responded.

"Yeah...it was just a nightmare." Kyousuke calmly stated, rubbing his eyes and putting his focus on Gajeel as the latter patted him on the back.

"You'll be alright." He stated as Kyousuke nodded. Kyousuke started to stretch as he looked at a clock that was set out, stating it was 7:00 PM. Gajeel got up and out of bed, already looking and feeling a lot better as he went into his closet and looked around at the things inside. "How are ya feeling?" He asked Kyousuke, who stretched out his back and arms.

"I feel a lot better, just that dream though," Kyousuke responded, finishing up with stretching as Gajeel soon got back onto the bed and sat Indian-style. He looked right into Kyousuke's eyes as if he was trying to read him or something, soon pulling back as he shot Kyousuke a perplexed look with one eyebrow raised. Kyousuke started to get confused.

"Uh...what is it?"

"You didn't want to sleep here huh?" Gajeel questioned, prompting Kyousuke to pull back with a shocked look. He was truly taken aback by the accusation.

"What...no, that's not it at all. I don't know why you would think that." Kyousuke responded, prompting Gajeel to give him a look as if he was trying to look into him, responding back quickly.

"You didn't want to come in here earlier."

"I was physically incapable of moving right, cut me some slack," Kyousuke explained as Gajeel let it go. He sat there and watched as Kyousuke went on. "It's just that dream...the dream I had."

"What the heck was it about?" He questioned, prompting Kyousuke to explain.

"I was alone and found you with everyone just lying on the ground. It was like you all were dead or something." Kyousuke explained, Gajeel keenly listening as he went on. "I found myself as a child again, trying to wake you up and failing, and I was attacked."

"By what?" Gajeel questioned as Kyousuke responded.

"It was this blue dragon. That's all." Kyousuke responded, ending it there as Gajeel looked at him. He could see the stress in Kyousuke's eyes as he sighed, looking down at the bed somewhere. Gajeel reached out a hand to him, lightly grabbing him by the chin and pulling his head up, making eye contact as Gajeel looked into his eyes.

"You've been stressed out a lot and I don't like it," Gajeel said calmly, looking right at him as Kyousuke looked at him and looked around the room. "I know what you need," Gajeel said with a grin on his face, prompting surprise within him as he looked at Gajeel in wonder.

With that, the two got everyone else and went down into the gym, going through with Gajeel's idea. Now that everyone was feeling better already and could actually walk around without being zombified, they decided to use the time they had in a more productive way. Gajeel knew that Kyousuke was stressed out by something and he didn't like it, so he went ahead and decided to start something that he thought would make him feel better: a good old fight.

Gajeel, in his X791 outfit, sparred with Kyousuke and Pantherlily in the gym while Sophia and Daniel watched from the sidelines. It started off with some basics, Gajeel starting with an Iron Dragon's Club to the two as Pantherlily and Kyousuke dodged. Kyousuke did a sweep kick and flipped Pantherlily off of his feet while heading for Gajeel as the latter went after him with another Iron Dragon's Club and missed again. Pantherlily managed to come in with a right-hook to the face with Gajeel as Kyousuke came after Pantherlily, attempting a roundhouse kick as Pantherlily grabbed his leg and flipped him over onto the ground. Gajeel comes in with yet another Iron Dragon's Club as Pantherlily ducks and dodges the attack, following with Kyousuke coming up from under Gajeel and attempting to uppercut him in the face with electrically-enhanced attacks, only for Gajeel to block the attack and elbow Kyousuke out of the way. Pantherlily came back and attacked with his Musica Sword, prompting the two to jump up above the sword as Kyousuke quickly approached him with his electricity and blasting Pantherlily back with an Electric Dragon's Shockwave. Following that, Gajeel came at Kyousuke with an hook-punch to the face and sent him flying back, coming at Pantherlily with an Iron Dragon's Club and pushing him back with a grin on his face.

With the fighting continuing on, Sophia and Daniel watched calmly while drinking sodas and eating popcorn, almost like it was a movie to them.

"Ah what fun, it's more enjoyable sitting back and watching the action," Sophia explained calmly as Daniel nodded in response.

"Who knows, he could come after us if we're not careful." Daniel reminded Sophia, causing her to worry on the inside. The number of times Gajeel used to attack them for just sitting around was enough to make anyone fear relaxation, and being reminded of this caused Sophia to panic somewhat.

"Let's try to pretend that won't happen, okay? I want to enjoy my free time that I have when he's too occupied to check on us." Sophia suggested with slight annoyance and worry. As the fight went on, Juvia came down with a large plate containing different snacks on it such as chips and eggs and sandwiches and etc. Coming down with a pleasant smile on her face, she approached the two members watching as the fight ensued, offering what she had made.

"I made some extra snacks to munch on for the time being," Juvia explained, watching as Sophia and Daniel both went right after them and chowed down.

"Wow, thanks! This is even better!" Sophia shouted, eating up one of her sandwiches as Daniel did the same. Juvia enjoyed being helpful to them in ways such as this, and it made her smile. It only led to her imagination with Gray take off as she started fantasizing all over again; how she could impress him by making a delicious meal for him that would somehow persuade him to love her enough to ask her to marry him. That smile though would soon be wiped clean off her face when the three would be blasted by an Iron Dragon's Sword coming right at them from a distance, destroying all the chairs and food Juvia made in the process. Recovering from the attack, a startled Sophia and Daniel, along with an angry Juvia, came to see Gajeel holding his fist up in the air while sending a glare in their direction. The distraction was no more.

"What the hell are you sissies just sitting for? If you're gonna be down here, you're gonna fight!" Gajeel warned, which seemed to scare Sophia and Daniel into submission but not Juvia. Being the emotional woman she is, she was quick to react, getting rather fired up as Gajeel put a grin on his face in response.

"You ruined all of my snacks! I spent all of that time trying to make food for us and you had to come and ruin it!" Juvia yelled, immediately firing a blast of hot water at Gajeel who dodged it. Instead, it hit Kyousuke, who got burned by the water and looked at Juvia annoyed, whose expression didn't change.

"That's burns! I'm gonna make you pay for that!" Kyousuke shouted, sending a bolt of lighting directly for Juvia, hitting Sophia instead. Being shocked by the lightning, she got up and angrily looked at Kyousuke, preparing to attack.

"Watch where you're firing bolt-brain!" She shouted, sending a crystal flying at him and hitting Pantherlily instead, who came back and back-fisted Daniel right in the face. With that, the entire group was put into a giant fist-fight, trying to take each other down after being hit once the first time. It wasn't long before it ended with everyone on the ground, having beat each other up and already having been too tired to continue again. They went through all the stress of the Agon-Count and now they came face-to-face with this, what did they expect? Strangely enough, Sophia suddenly stuttered in a moment of laughter, soon prompting Daniel to start smiling against his will as he soon broke out into laughter, it infecting everyone as it went around in the group and they all were chuckling over it all. They eventually stopped and just lied there as they talked about it.

"Ah, this group isn't going to change, is it?" Sophia calmly stated, feeling joyous over the idea as Kyousuke chimed in.

"I don't want it to change; I have never felt happier." Kyousuke expressed, prompting Gajeel to smile as everyone else did too. This gave Sophia the perfect opportunity, just as she looked to her side and saw Gajeel smiling the way he did.

"You know, now would be a perfect opportunity to kiss him."

"Can it woman." Gajeel quick shot down, to which Sophia just accepted and kept quiet. Pantherlily was caught off guard by it.

"Wait, what? For as long as I've known Gajeel, he's not the type to take orders, especially on matters of the heart." Pantherlily explained, to which Sophia responded.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that I can't help nudge it a little, they could use some intimacy," Sophia responded with her winking. Kyousuke was quick to jump in.

"You know, you don't have to talk about it like we're not here."

"But...the point is though is that you're here." Sophia explained, to which Kyousuke tried to counter.

"It's not like anything you said is something we haven't already done," Kyousuke explained, to which Sophia got it and looked at him with her jaw dropped in complete and utter disbelief. Soon everyone else sat up and looked straight at him with different expressions; Pantherlily seemed shocked, Daniel looked at him perplexed, Juvia was blushing at the thought and Gajeel gave him a look that said, "Are you serious right now?" It took a minute before Kyousuke caught on, but when he did, he started blushing uncontrollably and his jaw dropped in pure shock, his eyes widening at the thought as he started to freak out.

"Oh my god...did I really just say that?!" Kyousuke said as his face turned a bright red. He just admitted that he made out with Gajeel and kissed him in front of everyone there, and funny enough, Gajeel was only annoyed at him for feeding into her constant pestering. He didn't care about what anyone else thought of their relationship, to which Kyousuke did. This only prompted Sophia to go off about it.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you already have kissed, I was merely playing around, I mean wow. I didn't think you ready for it just yet!" Sophia explained as Kyousuke sat there speechless, unable to respond.

"Uh...I..uh...well I always..." Kyousuke stuttered before being interrupted by Gajeel. It was clear that with where this was going, Kyousuke couldn't save himself from the embarrassment.

"Why the hell are you surprised? You wanted it to happen anyway." Gajeel pointed out, shutting her up. She calmed down as Pantherlily chimed in.

"I'm just surprised because I didn't think you swung that way Gajeel," Pantherlily stated, catching Gajeel off guard. Suddenly he shot him an angry look, surprisingly enough, confusing everyone else as he quickly reacted defensively.

"What the hell is it to you?" Gajeel quickly reacted, shocking Pantherlily as he was taken aback by it.

"I didn't mean anything by it..."

"I'm not betraying anyone so don't get it in your head that I'm going around breaking people, I don't need that shit from you. Back off and leave me the hell alone!" Gajeel angrily fired off, getting up and storming out of the gym in an instant as Pantherlily sat there in complete shock. Everyone else stared, completely baffled by what just happened as Pantherlily sat there frozen. He didn't even know how to process it. Sophia just looked at him in shock.

"What the hell just happened?" Sophia said in shock, getting no response as Pantherlily got up and left the room too, leaving the other four there in shock over the whole thing. Daniel was in just as much shock as the rest of them.

"I know Gajeel is irritable but man, that was a little much. What the heck?" Daniel said, trying to process it as Kyousuke sat there in shock. Soon enough, Sophia started to realize why Gajeel got so angry and soon got upset over it too. Her face started to look sorrow as she remembered back when Gajeel felt torn between him and another girl he knew.

"Oh...I know." Sophia said, sighing over it as Kyousuke looked at her immediately. He quickly asked her about it.

"Does it have to do with me?" Kyousuke asked, Sophia, sighing as she went on to explain the whole ordeal to him.

Meanwhile, Gajeel, being frustrated as it is, walked out and leaned against the wall leading into the main room with the kitchen, pulling a hand down his face as he stood there frustrated. It wasn't long before Pantherlily came up and confronted him about it.

"Gajeel, what's going on?" Pantherlily asked, to which Gajeel responded defensively again.

"If you have a problem with it, why don't you just come out and say it?!"

"I didn't anything by it, I swear. I just was shocked that you were into him in 'that way'; I thought you only liked women. I don't even know what you meant back there." Pantherlily explained, to which Gajeel was going to respond. However, he stopped upon realizing that he overreacted. He stood there looking at Pantherlily shocked for a moment, before gritting his teeth in frustration and turning away, looking back into the main room as he crossed his arms and stood there angrily. Pantherlily just stood there and watched perplexed as Gajeel sighed, deciding to give some context.

"I was talking about Levy." Gajeel simply stated, to which Pantherlily suddenly realized what he meant about it all. He then looked at Gajeel in shock, realizing why he got so angry over it.

"Oh...now I see," Pantherlily said calmly, to which Gajeel responded right back.

"What the hell does that mean?!"

"Calm down Gajeel. I didn't mean it like that; I'm sorry if you took it that way." Pantherlily calmly explained, to which Gajeel looked at him in frustration before looking away. He starred off into space as he got frustrated all over again, opening up to Pantherlily about it.

"I liked her, don't get me wrong. It's not like I just decided to throw it away or something; I didn't know what to do. We hadn't talked or seen each other in years, and by the time I got to know the kid more, she showed up again out of nowhere when I thought I would never see her again." Gajeel explained, prompting Pantherlily to come up close as he heard him out; he never heard him pour his feelings out like this before, this must've been bothering him like hell. "I didn't ask to get thrown into this world, but I did. It was just me and you, so I took what I had and did something with it." Gajeel explained, to which Pantherlily listened and comforted him over it. It was a strangely emotional moment for him, but as any good friend would do, Pantherlily was there to help him.

"Gajeel, I always knew about how you felt about people. When we got stranded in this world, you closed yourself off from everyone and I knew it was because of her." Pantherlily explained, to which Gajeel looked away. The idea of him being vulnerable like that disgusted him, but as much as he tried to hide it, it was obvious to Pantherlily.

"Yeah, whatever," Gajeel stated, to which Pantherlily responded.

"Gajeel, you can't hide this from me. I know you too well." Pantherlily responded. Gajeel rolled his eyes like it was a load of crap, but deep down he knew he was right. Gajeel looked down and clenched his fist tightly, thinking about it harder as he went on. At this point, why hold it in anymore?

"When I saw him, I saw myself. I knew that kid went the same shit I did, so I wanted to make him feel the way she did with me." Gajeel explained. Pantherlily's expression soon turned to shock when he saw Gajeel tearing up, was he crying? "I don't him to be what I used to be, and she doesn't deserve it." He explained. He felt so conflicted, how everything happened made itself so inconvenient for how he felt about it. Pantherlily didn't see it that way. He put a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye, making eye contact as Gajeel looked at him in surprise.

"You said it yourself; it's been years since you last saw her. Just because you chose to take things farther with him doesn't mean you have to abandon her. You don't have to love her in the same way." Pantherlily explained, to which he patted him on the shoulder and took off. He felt that him being alone would help him better deal with it, especially since he was the type who needed to deal with things on his own. Gajeel grinned at his advice as he mulled over it, realizing that he was right and felt thankful for him being there. "Dammit Lily, how the hell did you know?" He thought to himself, mulling over it as he calmed down and relaxed.

* * *

Eventually, time passed, and Gajeel was still lying against the wall thinking about it all. As he cleared up emotionally, he heard footsteps approaching from behind, turning around to see Kyousuke coming up to him.

"What are you up to?" He asked Kyousuke, who stood there calmly and looked him in the eye. Kyousuke had something to tell him.

"Gajeel, Sophia told me everything about Levy." He stated, prompting Gajeel to stay serious as usual as Kyousuke went into how he felt about it. "I know it sounds stupid, but don't do it because you feel like you have to." He explained, to which Gajeel looked at him both perplexed and shocked.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Gajeel questioned, to which Kyousuke explained.

"Ugh, nevermind. You're not that type of person. I don't expect you to please me just to make me happy. I just thought you might because of everything I told you about how I felt and all."

"Don't be stupid, if I didn't like you in that way you would know," Gajeel explained, to which Kyousuke instantly agreed. He sighed in response, trying to get out what he really was trying to say.

"I know...I just feel like I wedged myself into something I don't belong to. I mean, how I was I supposed to know about how you felt with her? Maybe if I knew I wouldn't have come onto you like I did." Kyousuke explained. Gajeel looked at him in shock, quickly stepping in as he immediately put an end to that.

"Hey, listen up. This isn't your fault; don't blame yourself for it. This is my problem, not yours. And why the hell do you think I'd do it just to please you? You're the one who tries to please me, isn't that right?" Gajeel insisted. Kyousuke knew he was right but still didn't feel right about it.

"I just feel bad, I can't help it," Kyousuke responded. Within seconds, Gajeel grabbed him and pulled him closer, kissing him again like before as Kyousuke felt helplessly pulled into it. It lasted a few seconds before Gajeel pulled out of it, holding him by the shoulders and looking him in the eyes with a confident stare.

"Keep going about it and I'm going to do more; convinced yet?" Gajeel persuaded, to which Kyousuke finally dropped it and just let himself be. He looked at Gajeel with a smile on his face, like before, and just accepted it for what it is.

"Alright then, you convinced me," Kyousuke stated, dropping it as Gajeel grinned. As they stood there, Kyousuke looked at him from where he was standing and felt compelled to put his hands on his chest. He felt intimately attracted to him in that way, and it was growing stronger as time passed. "The more I stare at you, the more attractive you get, is that normal?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Gajeel said, grabbing him and carrying him to his bedroom. It was clear that they felt mutually attracted to one another in the same way, and the problems that initially faced it are now overcome by the two of them. The only thing left, is to know how the outlier is going to take it.


End file.
